Jorge Jesus explains why he left Neymar in reserve at Al-Hilal

After a few weeks of anticipation, Neymar finally debuted with Al-Hilal in the Saudi Championship. The Brazilian national team star started on the bench following a decision by Jorge Jesus, but entered the field in the 18th minute of the second half to lead the 6-1 rout against Al-Riyadh in the sixth round. The Portuguese coach explained the reason for resting the attacking midfielder.

“Neymar is one of the best players in the world and is known for his stardom. The aim of having him play 30 minutes was to prepare him for Monday’s match in the Asian Champions League.” On Monday, at 3 pm (Brasília time), Al-Hilal will face Navbahor Namangan, from Uzbekistan, in Group D of the competition.

In his debut with the Saudi club, the Brazilian entered the field with a 2-0 score in the first half, but he was instrumental in turning the victory into a rout. In addition to assisting Malcom to score, the number 10 participated directly in the other three goals.

“Neymar made the difference in the match against Al-Riyadh. He gave quality to the group and is considered a different player in the world”, added Jorge Jesus.

Leader of the Saudi Championship, Al-Hilal will now focus all its efforts on its continental competition – a tournament in which it is the biggest champion, with four cups. In addition to Navbahor Namangan, Nassaji Mazandaran from Iran and Mumbai City from India complete Group D.