The challenges facing the Al-Ahly team’s technical staff, led by coach Marino Pusic, are increasing before the expected confrontation against Al-Nasr, scheduled for November 20, in light of the injuries that affected a number of key players, and raised questions about the team’s readiness to participate in one of its most prominent confrontations in the Saudi Professional League.
Al-Ahly is facing a complex technical situation, with six players on the injured list, led by Turkish defender Merih Demiral, along with Zakaria Hawsawi, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Nayef Masoud, Armenian Edward Spretsyan, and Frenchman Valentin Atangana, which puts the technical staff in front of a challenge related to finding suitable alternatives, especially if some of these names continue to be absent until the time of El Clasico.
These developments come at a sensitive time for the Al-Ahly team, which is seeking to restore its technical balance after the recent results that sparked a state of dissatisfaction in Al-Ahly circles, amid anticipation for the future of the technical staff and the extent of its ability to address its shortcomings before returning to competitions.
The multiple injuries constitute a source of concern for the technical staff, especially since they include different lines of the team, which may affect the tactical options and the basic lineup that the coach will rely on against Al-Nasr, in a confrontation that requires high physical and technical readiness.
It is expected that the medical reports in the coming days will be a decisive factor in determining the position of the injured players, and the extent to which some of them can return to group training before the match, at a time when the medical team seeks to prepare the largest possible number of elements, without risking their return before their readiness is complete.
The national challenges are not limited to the injury file, as the technical staff finds itself faced with the necessity of investing the downtime period in correcting technical errors, raising the level of harmony between players, and preparing alternatives capable of compensating for potential absences.
Al-Ahly fans are awaiting developments in the players’ medical condition during the coming period, especially since facing Al-Nasr represents an important test of the team’s ability to overcome the current circumstances and restore confidence before entering a stage that requires more technical stability and positive results.
The most prominent question remains within Al-Ahly circles: Will the remaining days help the medical team restore some influential elements before facing Al-Nasr, or will Al-Ahly find itself forced to play El Clasico amid absences that may impose different technical options on its coach?
One victory in 35 matches; This is the outcome of Al-Fateh, Al-Taawoun and Abha after the end of the 12th round of the Saudi Professional League, in a disastrous start that placed the three teams in the direct relegation positions, after they collected only 14 points out of a possible 105 points, in a scene that seems more cruel to Al-Taawoun, which has become accustomed to competing for the top positions during recent seasons.
The percentage of collective victories for the three teams did not exceed 2.9 percent, after suffering 23 defeats, compared to 11 draws, while the only victory went to Al-Fateh, leaving Al-Taawoun and Abha without any wins so far.
The numbers reveal a joint offensive and defensive crisis, after the three teams scored only 23 goals, an average of 0.66 goals per match, compared to conceding 64 goals, an average of 1.83 goals. This reflects the magnitude of the challenges it faces in its attempts to move away from relegation centres.
Al-Fateh, in 16th place with 6 points, appears to be the best of the trio in terms of number of victories, having achieved one win and 3 draws, compared to 8 defeats, in 12 matches. However, having the only victory does not obscure the fact that it has the most goals scored among them, after conceding 25 goals, compared to scoring 10 goals.
This discrepancy reflects part of the team's crisis; Al-Fateh excels offensively over its direct competitors in direct relegation positions, but it has not succeeded in translating that into results that give it a greater margin of safety, after conceding more than two goals in one match.
On the other hand, the crisis of cooperation looks somewhat different. It is in 17th place with 5 points, after drawing 5 matches and losing 7, without being able to achieve any victory during 12 matches.
His offensive tally reveals one of the most prominent reasons for this stumble, after he scored only 6 goals, an average of half a goal per match, making him the weakest attack among the trio, at a time during which he conceded 20 goals.
Although Al-Taawoun succeeded in achieving a draw point 5 times, its inability to resolve any confrontation in its favor kept it in danger, and deprived it of the opportunity to benefit from the matches during which it was close to achieving its first victory.
His last match against Al-Ettifaq was a clear example of this, after he took the lead with Abdul Razzaq Hamdallah’s goal from a penalty kick, before conceding the equalizer in the 90th minute, to come out with a new point instead of the 3 points he desperately needed, and before that he was on his way to snatching a valuable point against Al-Qadisiyah before conceding a fatal goal in the 96th minute.
The irony in the case of Al-Taawoun is doubled in view of its continental results, after it succeeded in qualifying for the round of 16 of the “AFC Champions League 2”, while it is still unable to achieve its first victory locally.
This discrepancy raises questions about the team’s ability to transfer its Asian character to the league, especially with the different nature of the competition, the pressure of the matches, and the multiple absences.
As for Abha, it is in last place with 3 points from 11 matches, after drawing 3 times and losing 8 matches, scoring 7 goals and conceding 19 goals.
Although the team has not tasted victory yet, it came away with a point from its last confrontation against Al-Ittihad, a result that may give it a morale boost before the resumption of competitions, especially since it came in conjunction with Croatian Teo Perija assuming leadership of the team, succeeding his compatriot Damir Buric.
The current pause period gives the technical staff an opportunity to re-evaluate performance, recover the injured, work to raise physical readiness, and address the mistakes that were repeated during the past rounds, especially among the Abha team, which announced days before the pause period that it had officially dismissed Damir Buric.
As for Al-Taawoun, the need to restore injured elements seems more urgent, after the team suffered absences in similar defensive positions, while Al-Fateh looks to address its defensive fragility, and Abha looks to translate technical changes into victories that restore hope.
The importance of the next stage increases with the approach of direct confrontations between the teams competing to escape from the relegation centers, and the confrontation between Al-Taawoun and Abha, which is expected after the stoppage, according to the available schedule, stands out as one of the important stations in this conflict, especially since the two teams have not achieved any victory so far. Which makes the match an opportunity for one of them to break the series of stumbles, or to continue the crisis if it ends in a draw.
The common paradox between these three teams is the change of coaches. Al-Fateh began its season under the leadership of its national coach, Khaled Al-Atawi, before a negative situation accompanied him, deciding his departure and contracting with Moroccan Jamal Al-Salami. The situation did not change significantly except for one victory. As for Al-Taawoun, it opened its season under the leadership of Serbian Zarko Lazetic, before the management decided to dismiss him after the harsh six-game loss from Al-Hilal, and signed his compatriot Vuk Razovic. As for Abha, it continued its bet on promotion coach Damir Buric, before deciding to dismiss him and appoint the Croatian coach of the junior groups, Teo Perija.
Despite the bleak numbers, the season is still in its early stages, and the three clubs still have many opportunities to adjust their course, but the continuation of the current rates; Poor scoring and frequent conceding of goals may make the task of staying out of relegation positions more complicated as the rounds progress.
After the suspension, these clubs will face strong challenges, most notably Al-Taawoun facing Al-Ahly, while Abha will face Al-Shabab, while Al-Fateh will face its counterpart, Riyadh.
The limited participation of some Saudi players with their clubs raises many questions about the impact of the accumulation of local talent in the major teams on the future of these players and their chances of participating with the Saudi national team, which is preparing for future events, most notably the 2027 Asian Cup scheduled for the Kingdom. As the winter transfer period approaches, the issue of players who do not get enough minutes moving to clubs that allow them to participate regularly returns to the forefront, in a way that serves their artistic career and enhances the “green” options.
Murad Hawsawi's experience stands out as one of the cases that reflects this problem, after he moved last January from Al Khaleej to Al Hilal in a big deal during the winter transfer period, following several clubs competing to sign him. Al Hilal succeeded in finalizing the deal, in light of the player’s desire and insistence to move to one of the big and competitive clubs, before choosing Al Hilal’s offer from among the offers presented to him.
Hawsawi's start with Al Hilal was not very encouraging, as he faced difficulty in leaving his mark during his limited participations, including facing Al Sadd of Qatar in the last edition of the AFC Champions League for the Elite, which he entered as a substitute and wasted a number of opportunities to score, before the match ended in a draw and Al Hilal exited the tournament on penalties.
That confrontation raised questions about its impact on the player's subsequent chances, in light of his limited participation under the leadership of Italian coach Inzaghi, who relied on a specific group of players, while a number of team members did not receive sufficient opportunities. This coincided with a season in which Al-Hilal lost the Saudi League title, and was content with winning the King’s Cup, amid questions about the effect of repeated reliance on a specific group in tiring the players.
Hawsawi had received advice not to rush to move to a large club that includes a large number of stars, for fear of losing his starting position and his chances of joining the Saudi national team. His limited participation coincided with his exclusion from the “Green” list for the 2026 World Cup, and then his absence from the options of Greek coach Georgios Donis, despite the latter’s knowledge of his artistic capabilities.
The technical relationship between Denis and Hawsawi goes back to the coach’s period of work with Al Khaleej, when the club attracted the player from Uhud, and the Greek coach contributed to developing his level and giving him the opportunity to participate as a starter, before he became among the Saudi names that attended the 2025 Arab Cup in Doha, during the period of French coach Hervé Renard leading the national team.
This case raises a broader question about financially capable clubs contracting with emerging Saudi players from other clubs, as part of their efforts to strengthen their ranks, in exchange for the difficulties that these players may face in obtaining regular opportunities, amid the abundance of local and foreign stars. This is an issue that previously required the adoption of regulations regulating some cases of transfer over the past years, but the phenomenon has continued, even if it has witnessed a decline in some of its aspects.
On the other hand, Sultan Haroun’s experience presents a different model for dealing with limited participation opportunities, after Al-Qadisiyah loaned him to Al-Ettifaq nearly two months after buying his contract, along with his colleague Ahmed Al-Sayhi from Riyadh Club.
Haroun's loan came after Irish coach Rodgers saw that his chances of participating with Al-Qadisiyah in the competitions in which the team competes would be limited, unlike his tourist colleague, who began to get opportunities to represent the team.
Haroun benefited from his move to Al-Ettifaq, as he performed well, scored a wonderful goal against Al-Ittihad in the league competitions, and showed distinguished skills during training and some of the matches in which he participated. As he reaches 20 years of age, the importance of this experience becomes apparent in giving him more experience, in preparation for his return to Al-Qadisiyah with greater competitive capabilities.
Demands to provide broader opportunities for Saudi players are not limited to followers, as a number of coaches, especially in medium-sized clubs and those that struggle annually for survival, had previously raised this issue during a meeting held nearly two seasons ago. Their demands focused on the importance of rotating players who do not find sufficient opportunities with their clubs, by facilitating their transfer to teams that need their services and can give them basic participation opportunities, thus raising the intensity of competition and enhancing the players’ development and potential for their emergence.
Some coaches cited the experience of Firas Al-Braikan, who moved from Al-Nasr to Al-Fateh, and succeeded in providing remarkable levels, before moving to Al-Ahly, to become one of the main options in the first Saudi national team.
The experience of goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi also stands out, who got the opportunity to start with Al-Fateh in the season before last, after he moved to him on loan from Al-Nassr during the winter registration period, before then returning to the Saudi national team.
The experiences of Al-Braikan and Al-Aqidi reflect the importance of the player getting regular minutes of participation, even if that requires moving to a club that is less popular, popular and prominent, or making concessions on the financial side, in exchange for maintaining his technical development and enhancing the chances of his international presence.
As the next winter transfer period approaches, attention is turning to the major clubs that include a large number of Saudi players, to determine the extent of their willingness to provide the opportunity for limited participation players to move to other clubs, whether on loan or transfer, which will give them more space to gain experience and return to competing for national team seats.
