Al-Ahli star, Riyad Mahrez, admitted that he is no longer the same player he was at Manchester City, but he promised the fans of the Saudi club that he will give his all in the coming period.
The Algerian international’s statements came before Al-Ahli’s upcoming confrontation with Iraqi police in the AFC Champions League for the elite, scheduled to be held at the Jewel Stadium on Monday.
Mahrez said in the press conference before the match, “My numbers were good with Al-Ahli last season, I am also part of the system and I am affected by the circumstances that the team is experiencing.”
He also added, “I am no longer the same player that I was at Manchester City, I cannot dribble past 6 players now, but I came here to add to the team.”
Al-Ahli is experiencing a decline in results locally, as it achieved only 11 points from the first 9 rounds, occupying the tenth place, and the “elite” bid farewell to the King’s Cup in the round of 16.
Mahrez explained Al-Ahli’s decline locally by saying, “We clearly suffer from a shortage in some positions, and this has a big impact on us.”
The 33-year-old’s statements coincide with other statements by coach Matthias Jaissle, in which he complained that Al-Ahli’s management did not provide the reinforcements that the team badly needed last summer.
It is worth noting that Mahrez played 13 matches with Al-Ahli this season, during which he scored two goals and made four others
