Al-Nasr's Norwegian defender, Marius Høibråten, stated that his team delivered one of its best performances against Al-Wasl in the 15th round of the UAE Pro League despite the 1-1 draw, emphasizing that this performance is a step in the right direction towards restoring balance. The Dubai derby witnessed a relatively controlled possession for Al-Wasl, against Nasr's danger on the counter-attacks, ending the match with points shared. Høibråten added: "The Dubai derby was a strong and difficult match, but compared to the last two games, what we presented today is a good step forward. The Emirati league is very competitive, and if we lower our level by 5%, we will lose to any team, so we must be mentally sharp in every encounter." He also said: "I am very happy to be in the UAE, everyone here has been wonderful since my first day, and the club has treated me in a special way. I came to fight, make a difference, and contribute to winning titles." Høibråten also had a successful Asian experience with Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds, winning the 2021-2022 AFC Champions League, and participated in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and qualified for the 2025 edition.
