JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad midfielder Fabinho has admitted “it’s not nice” playing against compatriot, ex-Liverpool teammate and good friend Roberto Firmino, but will be doing everything to beat him and Al-Ahli in the Roshn Saudi League on Thursday.
Both Brazilian stars moved to their respective Jeddah clubs in the summer of 2023 after enjoying years of success at Liverpool, including winning the Champions League and Premier League.
But they will be on opposite sides for the Sea Derby, with Fabinho confessing that he even had to apologize to his good friend Firmino after an overzealous tackle in a corresponding fixture last season.
Al-Ittihad go into the derby in second place, with their local rival 11th in the Roshn Saudi League table.
The Jeddah derby, which kicks off at 9 p.m. local time at King Abdullah Sports City, is a part of the Roshn Saudi League’s innovative Derby Week, which is taking place in matchweek nine of the 2024-2025 season.
The new Derby Week addition to the Saudi Arabian topflight features Christiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr versus champions Al-Hilal, with Neymar at No. 10, at Al-Awwal Park. The mouthwatering Capital Derby matchup is on Friday.
The Eastern Derby between Al-Ettifaq, managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, and Al-Qadsiah, who welcomed Real Madrid hero Nacho into their ranks in summer, is on Saturday.
Here are some of Fabinho’s views on the big game and the SPL season:
On the derby
“For us it is a really important game, the team is in a really good moment. We are second in the league just behind Al-Hilal and we want to be at the top, so we have to win this game.
“This will be my third derby, the first two were not very good for us. We lost both of them, so it is an opportunity to give a nice result to our fans. The fans they are asking for us to give everything to win this game.”
Al-Ittihad’s form this season
“I think the players that arrived (in the transfer window) are playing really well. Moussa Diaby, Houssem Aouar, all the players who arrived have really integrated into the team and adapted to the team and the way we play.
“I think some key players are finding their best football again, so this is very important for us. The new coach and his staff arrived as well, and we know the ideas they have and how they want to play football.
“What everybody expects from us is to fight for the league, it’s not a big surprise. We have to do everything to reach the top.”
On facing Firmino
“It is not nice. Bobby is one of my good friends that I have made in football, he is a very good player, so I never like to play against him. Last season when we played against them, I made a hard tackle on him and after the game he sent me a photo of his ankle. I said: ‘Sorry, Bobby.’
“After the game we can talk but, in the game, I will fight for my side and my team. It’s nice to be in the same city as him, to see him off the pitch often. Our families also are in contact, and he is a very good friend, but on the pitch and in the derby, I am with Al-Ittihad and he is with Al-Ahli.”
On living in Jeddah
“My good friend Helder Costa played here for one season, so I talked to him, because I wanted my family to be comfortable in the city. Coming to Jeddah it was a very good surprise to see how nice the city is.
“We have adapted to the city, and we love to live in Jeddah. We’re very happy to be here.”
