"This win is very important, the team's level has increased and that’s what matters most,” said Pioli.

"I know the team well now, not only through matches but also through training and over the past two months, we’ve been evaluating and refining our approach."

“The work is not only on the physical fitness aspect, but we also work on positive energy and passion, we work on everything, and the fans are an important factor for us and for the players in order to show passion.

“The team is required not only to participate but to compete, our club is big, there are fans that we want to please and we have to work for that.”

Defeat left AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 winners Al Ain with just a point and at the bottom of the standings with head coach Hernan Crespo acknowledging the quality of Al Nassr’s performance.

"It is simple, the best team won, and the one who performed on the field won,” said Crespo.  “I have nothing to say, the reality is clear and the team and the management know that there is a difference in budgets and what happened last year, we call a ‘miracle’.

“We deserved to win last year and we deserved the title. We won last season against Al Hilal (SFC) and Al Nassr (but) if we play them 10 times, we might win once. It is impossible for us to win all the time.”