---

February 15, 2024

Domagoj Antolic says Damac has a “winning mentality.” – Saudi Pro League

Riyadh: Damac FC is currently reaching extraordinary heights in the Saudi Pro League despite taking its name from the nearby mountain Jabal Damac.

As the team prepares to play Al-Shabab again in the league on Friday, they are currently six points clear of the leaders in the Kingdom’s football hierarchy, which is more than most observers would have predicted this season.

Damac was on an eight-game league winning streak going into their final game before the winter break against Al-Riyadh. They had also won five straight games, including the historic 3-1 victory over champions Al-Ittihad at the Damac Stadium in Khamis Mushait.

The loss to Al-Riyadh was Damac’s disappointing 2023 season finale, but Croatian midfielder Domagoj Antolic, who will soon begin his fourth season with the team, says Cosmin Contra’s team has started 2024 on a positive note.

“It was disappointing, of course, for us because we broke our nice winning run,” Antolic, who arrived from Polish outfit Legia Warsaw in 2021, told Arab News.

“It is especially frustrating before a big break, but there is also no doubt that we have done a great job so far this season.”

“We have brought in very good players with good quality and good character. We have a winning mentality at this moment, and the coach and his staff are preparing us well; when you connect all these things, that is how Damac is now in the position we are.”

“I don’t think anyone would expect Damac to be in the place we are right now, so as a team we are very satisfied with what we have achieved until now and we are looking forward to the rest of the season.”

The undisputed star of Damac’s 2023–2024 season thus far was absent from their starting lineup in that unexpected defeat. Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, a former winger for Tottenham Hotspur and Marseille, has been in incredible form for the team this season, tallying 14 goals and four assists in 17 Saudi Pro League contests.

Antolic acknowledges that the Cameroon international has significantly aided Damac’s rise up the table.

He said: “Georges has had a huge, huge impact. He’s a player who makes the difference when you need him; he can score a goal or assist, and he makes it easier for his teammates. We are here for him and want to help him achieve even more.”

“He is also a very positive guy to have in the dressing room, a good character who is always smiling and gives this good morale for the team. I really hope he will stay healthy for us.”

Despite a strong season for Damac, N’Koudou was left off Cameroon’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in January. This will probably benefit his club.

After coming together on January 18, the Damac team headed to Abu Dhabi for a mid-season training camp that lasted until February 7.

On the break, Antolic added: “I’m definitely the sort of guy who switches off completely. I just want to clear my head from the football to be with my family, with my friends.”

Marcelo Brozovic, the Al-Nassr midfielder who has made an impression since moving to the Kingdom from Inter Milan in the summer, is one of those friends. Antolic and Brozovic were teammates for the Croatian national team and Dinamo Zagreb.

“He’s a brilliant player and I was so happy to see him come into our eague. Since Cristiano Ronaldo moved, we have more players like this in Saudi Arabia.

“From when I first came to Saudi Arabia to now everything in the league has improved but mainly the mentality of the players is different now.

“He (Ronaldo) has made a big difference and when you play against him, you see the speed, the movement, the way he talks to his teammates. He’s still at the highest level,” Antolic said.

Antolic’s and Ronaldo’s former teammate has been heavily linked to a move to the Kingdom during the last two transfer windows. Luka Modric, the winner of the Ballon d’Or, reportedly turned down offers from Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr the previous summer in favor of Real Madrid. 

However, as his playing time at the Bernabeu decreased this season, speculations reappeared in January.

“I hope (Modric comes to Saudi Arabia) as he is the best player I have played with. I remember when I was a kid coming into the first team at Dinamo Zagreb, Modric was maybe 22 or 23 and already showing that he was special.

“I don’t think anyone believed he would go on to win the Ballon d’Or and achieve everything he has. I’m so proud that he’s a Croatian and doing all these things. Modric is my idol, all of Croatia is proud of him and it would be a big thing if he comes to Saudi Arabia,” Antolic added.

Antolic’s current priorities are supporting Damac in their attempt to repeat their most successful SPL season. The team commemorated its fiftieth anniversary in 2021–2022, finishing fifth behind Al-Shabab, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and winners Al-Hilal.

Damac is well-positioned to accomplish that once more this season, but could they even surpass that and make it to the AFC Champions League for the first time?

Antolic said: “I think everything is possible, but we don’t think about this because we are trying to go step by step. We’ve shown we are a serious team, and we can compete with all of the big clubs – we won against Al-Ittihad, we were ahead against Al-Nassr (before losing 2-1), and drew with Al-Hilal.

“This is the real picture of Damac, and I hope we will achieve a good position in the end; we won’t put too much pressure on ourselves because there are a lot of big clubs with big budgets, but we are certainly here to fight,” he added.

Cheer on your favorite player! Visit our site to show them your support and make a difference.

Football News Today | La Liga 2 | Saudi Pro League | Major League Soccer | J League | EFL Championship | Brazilian Serie A