“Money is not the most important… the pitch decides” – Pyramids coach ahead of Al Ahli Saudi clash

Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic, head coach of Egyptian club Pyramids FC, stressed that money is not everything ahead of his team’s clash with Al Ahli Saudi.

African champions, Pyramids will face Asian champions Al Ahli Saudi in the Africa–Asia–Pacific Cup, part of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025, at Al Inma Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday evening. Read the date and time of the game here.

Speaking in the press conference ahead of the game, Jurcic said:
“I am very happy and extremely proud of the stage my team has reached, playing for the title of the Intercontinental Cup of the three continents. This is a very important step in the history of Pyramids, a club that has now reached the world stage in a very short period of time.”

He added during the pre-match press conference in Jeddah:
“Of course, nobody ever expected that Pyramids would win the CAF Champions League in such a short time, or play in the Club World Cup and now the Intercontinental Cup. But the dream has become a reality. Now we are competing at this level and we have a chance to go even further.”

Jurcic continued:
“I asked my players to show their strength against a strong opponent in front of their fans. They must show passion and fight for victory, in order to reach the stage of playing in Qatar and to add a new major achievement and an important title in the history of Pyramids and Egyptian football.”

The Pyramids coach praised Al Ahli Saudi, pointing out that he had faced them before when he was coach of Al Nassr. He said:
“Now they are a very strong team, with excellent players, a great coach, and a massive fan base. I have watched their last two matches in the AFC Champions League and the Saudi League, and they showed great strength and strong reactions. But in the end, I have full confidence in my players and their ability to win.”

About the financial gap between Pyramids and Al Ahli Saudi, Jurcic said:
“Money is indeed important in football, but it is not the most important thing. In the end, it is the pitch that decides matches.”

The coach also spoke about absences:
“Pyramids are indeed suffering from some absences in the squad, but the group is ready and I have great confidence in them.” He concluded by congratulating the Saudi people on Saudi National Day, which coincides with the same day of the match.

What’s Next for Pyramids or Al Ahly Saudi: Beyond Africa–Asia–Pacific Cup

The winner of Al Ahli vs Pyramids will not only secure the Africa–Asia–Pacific Cup but also advance to the next round of the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Here’s how the path continues:

• The victor of this Africa–Asia–Pacific Cup match will later face the winner of another match (“Derby of the Americas”) in the FIFA Challenger Cup – essentially a playoff for a place in the Intercontinental Cup Final.

• The Intercontinental Cup Final is scheduled for December 17, 2025, where the winner of the Challenger Cup will face Paris Saint-Germain, the winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.

⚽ Follow Pan-Africa Football across platforms for real-time news and stories.