Mancini says Saudi Arabia’s fans can make difference against South Korea

Roberto Mancini believes Saudi Arabia’s overwhelming numerical advantage in the stands will give them the edge in their Asian Cup last-16 clash with South Korea today.

Saudi supporters are expected to turn out in force for the match at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, evoking memories of the 2022 World Cup when the Green Falcons were one of the tournament’s best-supported sides.

Mancini believes his team are improving with every game but knows they will have to be at their best against one of the pre-tournament favourites. His side are unbeaten so far in Qatar, winning two and drawing one of their three group games.

“We are happy because we will have 12 players on the pitch, our supporters will really push us, and you know now is a different time from [previous] matches against Korea,” said Mancini, dismissing a 1-0 friendly defeat in Newcastle last September. “I am sure we will do a very good job. I think that in these four months [since being appointed] we improved a lot as a team.”

In contrast to Saudi Arabia’s fairly routine passage to the knockout stages, South Korea’s path has been a chaotic one. A 3-1 win over Bahrain got things off to a positive start, but they looked disorganised and vulnerable in a 2-2 draw with Jordan, and especially in a 3-3 draw with rank outsiders Malaysia. Those two results left them second in their group behind Bahrain and on a collision course with Saudi Arabia.

Mancini said: “My opinion is that South Korea is a very good team. If they conceded six goals in the group stage it doesn’t change their strength, because they have very good players and they score a lot of goals.

“We know that in the last 16 we play against one of the best teams in the tournament. For us it is very important to play as a team, we are [feeling] positive.”

That was a sentiment echoed by Mancini’s opposite number, the increasingly under-fire Jurgen Klinsmann.

The German legend and his players have faced fierce criticism back home, with Klinsmann being mocked for telling reporters to book their hotels in Qatar until February 10 – the day of the final.

“A coach has to be positive, a coach has to believe in his team and make it happen,” said the 59-year-old, a World Cup winner as a player in 1990. “If the other team is better and beats you, then you can still go back to the hotel and cancel.”

The Koreans’ passage into the knockouts was chaotic, with Jurgen Klinsmann’s side conceding six goals