By rikififi90 
After a glorious stint at Botafogo, where he won the Libertadores and the Brazilian Championship in 2024, Artur Jorge is experiencing tough days leading Al-Rayyan in Qatar. The Portuguese coach, who took over the club in January this year, saw his team knocked out of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday, March 11, after a 2-0 loss to Al-Ahli from Saudi Arabia. The aggregate score of 5-1 in the round of 16 sealed an early end to their continental campaign, exposing weaknesses in the manager’s project outside Brazil. The situation in the local league is also far from promising, with Al-Rayyan in fifth place, far from securing a direct spot in the next edition of the Asian tournament. This moment contrasts sharply with his recent success in Brazilian football and raises questions about his future in the Middle East.
The elimination from the continental competition was a harsh blow for Artur Jorge, who arrived in Qatar tasked with elevating Al-Rayyan’s status. The club, featuring well-known players like Brazilians Roger Guedes and Thiago Mendes, failed to impose its game against Al-Ahli. The home defeat, following a 3-1 loss in the first leg, highlighted tactical and defensive issues that the coach has yet to resolve. In the national league, with only four rounds remaining, the team faces an unlikely turnaround to reach the top spots.
Ex-Botafogo, Artur Jorge é eliminado da Champions da Ásia e corre risco de ficar fora da próxima edição https://t.co/1YBTJLoGGK
— FogãoNET ★彡 (@fogaonet) March 12, 2025
In Brazil, Artur Jorge’s tenure still resonates with Botafogo fans. Hired in April 2024, he took over a struggling team and turned it into a continental and national champion within months. Over 55 matches, he secured 31 wins, 15 draws, and just 9 losses. Now, less than three months into his stint in Qatar, the Portuguese manager faces an opposite scenario, with underwhelming results and mounting pressure for performance.
Botafogo’s successful era under Artur Jorge lingers
Artur Jorge arrived at Botafogo during a turbulent period, following Tiago Nunes’ dismissal and eliminations in the Libertadores’ preliminary stages. In his first job outside Portugal, the coach brought an attacking style that had already borne fruit at Braga, where he won the Portuguese League Cup and qualified for the UEFA Champions League. At Botafogo, he quickly found his footing, leading the team to the Libertadores title against Atlético-MG and a memorable Brazilian Championship campaign. These achievements forged an everlasting bond with the Rio-based club, as he himself acknowledged in recent interviews.
However, his departure from Botafogo was not without controversy. After clinching the Brazilian title in December 2024, Artur Jorge gave five interviews leaving his future uncertain, frustrating the board and some fans. Negotiations with Al-Rayyan progressed swiftly, and his contract was terminated on January 3, with the Qatari club covering bonus payments worth 3.1 million euros tied to his titles. The Portuguese framed the move as the end of a cycle, though he admitted to staying in touch with former Botafogo players, underscoring his attachment to the club.
In Qatar, the challenge differed: to build a competitive team in a less globally prominent league but one backed by significant investment. Al-Rayyan, eighth in the local league before his arrival, hoped Artur Jorge would replicate the immediate impact seen in Brazil. So far, however, results have fallen short, and the Asian Champions League exit has laid bare the difficulties of adapting to a new footballing context.
Pressure mounts at Al-Rayyan amid poor results
With their Asian Champions League elimination confirmed, Al-Rayyan now turns its focus to the Qatari league, where it sits fifth with 27 points. With four rounds left, the team is well behind the leaders and has no realistic shot at the points needed for direct qualification to the next continental tournament. The fallback would be securing a preliminary-round spot, but even that demands an unlikely winning streak and stumbles from rivals. The Emir Cup, set for May, emerges as Artur Jorge’s last hope to salvage the season and clinch an Asian Champions League berth.
Al-Rayyan’s squad boasts six Brazilians: goalkeeper Paulo Victor, midfielder Thiago Mendes, playmaker Rodrigo Tabata, and forwards Gabriel Pereira, Romarinho, and Roger Guedes. Despite their individual talent, the team has lacked consistency under Artur Jorge. The loss to Al-Ahli exposed defensive lapses and a lack of tactical cohesion—flaws that contrast with the solidity Botafogo displayed in 2024. Pressure on the coach intensifies as results falter, and the board’s patience may be wearing thin.
The local league performance further reflects the challenges the Portuguese faces. Before his arrival, Al-Rayyan was not among the title favorites, but expectations were high for improvement given his championship pedigree. With just four matches left, the team needs an immediate turnaround to avoid a lackluster season end and secure at least a preliminary spot in the Asian Champions League.
Botafogo and Al-Rayyan comparison highlights contrasts
Artur Jorge’s time at Botafogo was defined by impressive stats and a special connection with the fans. Across 55 games, he achieved a 66.7% win rate, delivering two historic titles that ended long droughts for the club. His attacking philosophy, paired with his ability to rally the squad, turned Botafogo into a winning machine. In the final Brasileirão match against São Paulo, the Nilton Santos Stadium echoed with pleas for him to stay, but his decision was already made.
At Al-Rayyan, the reality is starkly different. In under three months, the coach has struggled to implement his game plan effectively. The Asian Champions League elimination, with a 5-1 aggregate defeat, marks the lowest point so far. While he had an ascending squad and supportive environment at Botafogo, in Qatar he faces a team in transition and a less competitive league with lofty expectations due to local investments.
Time for adaptation also weighs against him. In Brazil, he had months to understand the squad and fine-tune the team, whereas in Qatar, the demand for instant results is greater. The presence of seasoned players like Roger Guedes, a standout in Brazilian football, has not sufficed to turn things around, and the coach must find quick fixes to avert a deeper crisis.
Decisive calendar shapes Artur Jorge’s future
Artur Jorge’s path at Al-Rayyan over the coming months will be critical to his tenure at the club. Here’s what lies ahead that could determine his success or failure:
- March and April: the final four rounds of the Qatari league, featuring clashes with direct rivals for table positions. A winning streak is vital to secure at least third place.
- May: the Emir Cup, a tournament offering an Asian Champions League spot. It’s the main chance to salvage the season.
- June: the start of the 2025/2026 pre-season, assuming the coach remains in charge after first-half results.
The tight schedule leaves little room for error, with each game serving as a test of Artur Jorge’s ability to reverse the current slump.
Stats expose struggles in Qatar
Since taking over Al-Rayyan, Artur Jorge has failed to replicate the form that made him a star at Botafogo. The Asian Champions League exit came with criticism of the team’s performance, conceding five goals across two matches against Al-Ahli. In the local league, 27 points from 18 rounds leave the team outside the direct qualification zone for continental play—an objective set by the board when hiring the Portuguese.
By contrast, at Botafogo, he lost just 9 of 55 games, while in Qatar, setbacks have been more frequent in a far shorter span. The average goals conceded per match has also risen, pointing to defensive organization issues less evident in Brazil. These figures fuel the perception that Al-Rayyan has yet to find balance under Artur Jorge’s leadership.
Within the squad, stars like Roger Guedes and Thiago Mendes, signed with high expectations, have underperformed. A lack of cohesion and challenges in adapting the coach’s style to Asian football persist, casting doubt on the project launched in January.
Recovery chances still on the table
Despite the tough stretch, Artur Jorge has avenues to turn things around at Al-Rayyan. The Emir Cup in May offers a tangible shot at a title and an Asian Champions League berth. The knockout format demands consistency, a quality he proved capable of delivering during Botafogo’s Libertadores run.
The Portuguese can also use the league’s final rounds to tweak the team and climb the standings. A third-place finish, though a long shot, remains mathematically possible and would grant a preliminary-round chance in the continental tournament. His experience handling pressure, as shown in Brazil, will be key to this recovery bid.
Finally, Al-Rayyan’s board support will be pivotal. There are no clear signs yet of his job being at risk, but results must improve for him to gain time and trust. His Botafogo stint proves Artur Jorge can build winning teams, and the coming months will reveal if he can repeat that feat in Qatar.
After a glorious stint at Botafogo, where he won the Libertadores and the Brazilian Championship in 2024, Artur Jorge is experiencing tough days leading Al-Rayyan in Qatar. The Portuguese coach, who took over the club in January this year, saw his team knocked out of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday, March 11, after a 2-0 loss to Al-Ahli from Saudi Arabia. The aggregate score of 5-1 in the round of 16 sealed an early end to their continental campaign, exposing weaknesses in the manager’s project outside Brazil. The situation in the local league is also far from promising, with Al-Rayyan in fifth place, far from securing a direct spot in the next edition of the Asian tournament. This moment contrasts sharply with his recent success in Brazilian football and raises questions about his future in the Middle East.
The elimination from the continental competition was a harsh blow for Artur Jorge, who arrived in Qatar tasked with elevating Al-Rayyan’s status. The club, featuring well-known players like Brazilians Roger Guedes and Thiago Mendes, failed to impose its game against Al-Ahli. The home defeat, following a 3-1 loss in the first leg, highlighted tactical and defensive issues that the coach has yet to resolve. In the national league, with only four rounds remaining, the team faces an unlikely turnaround to reach the top spots.
Ex-Botafogo, Artur Jorge é eliminado da Champions da Ásia e corre risco de ficar fora da próxima edição https://t.co/1YBTJLoGGK
— FogãoNET ★彡 (@fogaonet) March 12, 2025
In Brazil, Artur Jorge’s tenure still resonates with Botafogo fans. Hired in April 2024, he took over a struggling team and turned it into a continental and national champion within months. Over 55 matches, he secured 31 wins, 15 draws, and just 9 losses. Now, less than three months into his stint in Qatar, the Portuguese manager faces an opposite scenario, with underwhelming results and mounting pressure for performance.
Botafogo’s successful era under Artur Jorge lingers
Artur Jorge arrived at Botafogo during a turbulent period, following Tiago Nunes’ dismissal and eliminations in the Libertadores’ preliminary stages. In his first job outside Portugal, the coach brought an attacking style that had already borne fruit at Braga, where he won the Portuguese League Cup and qualified for the UEFA Champions League. At Botafogo, he quickly found his footing, leading the team to the Libertadores title against Atlético-MG and a memorable Brazilian Championship campaign. These achievements forged an everlasting bond with the Rio-based club, as he himself acknowledged in recent interviews.
However, his departure from Botafogo was not without controversy. After clinching the Brazilian title in December 2024, Artur Jorge gave five interviews leaving his future uncertain, frustrating the board and some fans. Negotiations with Al-Rayyan progressed swiftly, and his contract was terminated on January 3, with the Qatari club covering bonus payments worth 3.1 million euros tied to his titles. The Portuguese framed the move as the end of a cycle, though he admitted to staying in touch with former Botafogo players, underscoring his attachment to the club.
In Qatar, the challenge differed: to build a competitive team in a less globally prominent league but one backed by significant investment. Al-Rayyan, eighth in the local league before his arrival, hoped Artur Jorge would replicate the immediate impact seen in Brazil. So far, however, results have fallen short, and the Asian Champions League exit has laid bare the difficulties of adapting to a new footballing context.
Pressure mounts at Al-Rayyan amid poor results
With their Asian Champions League elimination confirmed, Al-Rayyan now turns its focus to the Qatari league, where it sits fifth with 27 points. With four rounds left, the team is well behind the leaders and has no realistic shot at the points needed for direct qualification to the next continental tournament. The fallback would be securing a preliminary-round spot, but even that demands an unlikely winning streak and stumbles from rivals. The Emir Cup, set for May, emerges as Artur Jorge’s last hope to salvage the season and clinch an Asian Champions League berth.
Al-Rayyan’s squad boasts six Brazilians: goalkeeper Paulo Victor, midfielder Thiago Mendes, playmaker Rodrigo Tabata, and forwards Gabriel Pereira, Romarinho, and Roger Guedes. Despite their individual talent, the team has lacked consistency under Artur Jorge. The loss to Al-Ahli exposed defensive lapses and a lack of tactical cohesion—flaws that contrast with the solidity Botafogo displayed in 2024. Pressure on the coach intensifies as results falter, and the board’s patience may be wearing thin.
The local league performance further reflects the challenges the Portuguese faces. Before his arrival, Al-Rayyan was not among the title favorites, but expectations were high for improvement given his championship pedigree. With just four matches left, the team needs an immediate turnaround to avoid a lackluster season end and secure at least a preliminary spot in the Asian Champions League.
Botafogo and Al-Rayyan comparison highlights contrasts
Artur Jorge’s time at Botafogo was defined by impressive stats and a special connection with the fans. Across 55 games, he achieved a 66.7% win rate, delivering two historic titles that ended long droughts for the club. His attacking philosophy, paired with his ability to rally the squad, turned Botafogo into a winning machine. In the final Brasileirão match against São Paulo, the Nilton Santos Stadium echoed with pleas for him to stay, but his decision was already made.
At Al-Rayyan, the reality is starkly different. In under three months, the coach has struggled to implement his game plan effectively. The Asian Champions League elimination, with a 5-1 aggregate defeat, marks the lowest point so far. While he had an ascending squad and supportive environment at Botafogo, in Qatar he faces a team in transition and a less competitive league with lofty expectations due to local investments.
Time for adaptation also weighs against him. In Brazil, he had months to understand the squad and fine-tune the team, whereas in Qatar, the demand for instant results is greater. The presence of seasoned players like Roger Guedes, a standout in Brazilian football, has not sufficed to turn things around, and the coach must find quick fixes to avert a deeper crisis.
Decisive calendar shapes Artur Jorge’s future
Artur Jorge’s path at Al-Rayyan over the coming months will be critical to his tenure at the club. Here’s what lies ahead that could determine his success or failure:
- March and April: the final four rounds of the Qatari league, featuring clashes with direct rivals for table positions. A winning streak is vital to secure at least third place.
- May: the Emir Cup, a tournament offering an Asian Champions League spot. It’s the main chance to salvage the season.
- June: the start of the 2025/2026 pre-season, assuming the coach remains in charge after first-half results.
The tight schedule leaves little room for error, with each game serving as a test of Artur Jorge’s ability to reverse the current slump.
Stats expose struggles in Qatar
Since taking over Al-Rayyan, Artur Jorge has failed to replicate the form that made him a star at Botafogo. The Asian Champions League exit came with criticism of the team’s performance, conceding five goals across two matches against Al-Ahli. In the local league, 27 points from 18 rounds leave the team outside the direct qualification zone for continental play—an objective set by the board when hiring the Portuguese.
By contrast, at Botafogo, he lost just 9 of 55 games, while in Qatar, setbacks have been more frequent in a far shorter span. The average goals conceded per match has also risen, pointing to defensive organization issues less evident in Brazil. These figures fuel the perception that Al-Rayyan has yet to find balance under Artur Jorge’s leadership.
Within the squad, stars like Roger Guedes and Thiago Mendes, signed with high expectations, have underperformed. A lack of cohesion and challenges in adapting the coach’s style to Asian football persist, casting doubt on the project launched in January.
Recovery chances still on the table
Despite the tough stretch, Artur Jorge has avenues to turn things around at Al-Rayyan. The Emir Cup in May offers a tangible shot at a title and an Asian Champions League berth. The knockout format demands consistency, a quality he proved capable of delivering during Botafogo’s Libertadores run.
The Portuguese can also use the league’s final rounds to tweak the team and climb the standings. A third-place finish, though a long shot, remains mathematically possible and would grant a preliminary-round chance in the continental tournament. His experience handling pressure, as shown in Brazil, will be key to this recovery bid.
Finally, Al-Rayyan’s board support will be pivotal. There are no clear signs yet of his job being at risk, but results must improve for him to gain time and trust. His Botafogo stint proves Artur Jorge can build winning teams, and the coming months will reveal if he can repeat that feat in Qatar.
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