The Asian Football Confederation's Disciplinary and Ethics Committee announced that Al Hilal player Crescencio Summerville was suspended for three matches and fined $2,000, following his expulsion due to violent behavior during the match against Qatar's Al-Gharafa in the AFC Elite Champions League, last September 15.
According to the decision, Summerville will miss Al-Hilal’s matches against Qatar’s Al-Sadd on October 13, Qatar’s Al-Shamal on October 27, and UAE’s Shabab Al-Ahly on November 3.
The committee also decided to suspend Al-Gharafa player Ismail bin Nasser for 3 matches and fine him $2,000, due to violent behavior in the same confrontation, causing him to miss the matches of Iranian Esteghlal on October 12, Al-Ahly of Saudi Arabia on October 26, and Al-Qadisiyah of Saudi Arabia on November 2.
The committee obligated the players to pay the fines within 30 days from the date of informing them of the decision, in accordance with the Asian disciplinary regulations.
An informed source in the Saudi Football Federation confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the news circulating about the federation reaching an agreement with Spanish coach Roberto Martinez, who previously coached the Belgian and Portuguese national teams, to take over the leadership of the first Saudi national team, succeeding the Greek Georgios Donis, who recently led the “Greens” to crowning the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup title in Jeddah, is not true.
Despite the confirmation of his stay by the Football Association, multiple sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that an agreement was reached between the Saudi Federation and Martinez before the start of the Gulf Cup tournament. However, the achievement that Denis achieved in winning the title may prompt a re-evaluation of his future with the national team, and the possibility of ignoring the completion of the contract with the Spanish coach, in light of the changes that occurred in the artistic scene after the tournament.
According to multiple sources, Matt Crocker, the technical director of the Saudi Football Federation, reached an agreement with Martinez to lead the Saudi national team for the next four years, in exchange for an annual salary of approximately 13 million euros, which is information that contradicts what the informed source in the Saudi Federation confirmed regarding the lack of an agreement with the Spanish coach.
For his part, a source in the Saudi national team management confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Denis is continuing in his position, according to the information available to him, explaining that he does not have any information regarding the departure of the Greek coach or the existence of arrangements to end his contractual relationship with the national team.
The Saudi Federation had agreed with Denis before the 2026 World Cup finals to take over as coach of the national team for one year, with a contract that expires next June. However, the Gulf coronation raised questions about his future, and the extent of the possibility of him continuing to lead the “Greens” during the next stage, especially with Saudi Arabia approaching hosting the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
Badr Al-Ruzaiza, President of the Saudi Football Federation, spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat after the team won the Gulf Cup, in response to a question about Donis’ future with the Saudi team, explaining: “These are technical decisions, not our decisions, and in the end any decision related to Donis comes from the technical side, whether the technical director or the relevant staff, and we do not know what will happen, but Donis is with us and you saw what he presented.”
Regarding the evaluation of the team’s performance during the tournament, the president of the Saudi Federation said: “In the end, there is a technical evaluation of the performance, and this is what we will look into, God willing.”
Al-Raziza’s statements come at a time when questions are increasing regarding the identity of the coach who will lead the Saudi national team during the next stage, as the Federation President left the door open for technical evaluation, without providing confirmation regarding Donis’ continuation or the existence of a tendency to change the technical staff, despite the achievement achieved in Jeddah.
The Saudi national team was crowned champion of the Gulf Cup for the fourth time in its history, after defeating the Emirates with two unanswered goals in the final match that was held last Tuesday at Al-Enmaa Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, ending an absence from the Gulf podium that extended since 2003.
Denis won the title after leading the Saudi national team to win its three matches in the group stage, before overcoming Qatar on penalties in the semi-finals, then defeating the UAE in the final, while maintaining a clean sheet for the “Green” team throughout its five matches in the tournament.
These results gave the Greek coach an important morale boost, after he entered the tournament amid questions about the team's technical performance, only to emerge from it crowned with the title, in a transformation that may have repercussions on the expected evaluation of his future with the team.
Donis enjoys remarkable public support, which was clearly evident Thursday morning on social media platforms, which demanded that Martinez be dismissed and that Donis be kept because he has excellent relations with the players, in addition to his quality of training that is compatible with the players’ capabilities.
The Moroccan Badou Zaki, coach of the Jordanian national team, had revealed that “Al-Nashama” will play a friendly match against the Saudi national team on December 27, as part of the teams’ preparations for the 2027 Asian Cup finals, which Saudi Arabia will host during the period from January 7 to February 5.
The Saudi national team will compete in the tournament in the first group alongside the teams of Palestine, Oman, and Kuwait. It begins its journey against Palestine on January 7, then meets Oman on January 12, before concluding the group stage against Kuwait on January 17.
Al-Akhdar will also meet South Korea and Uzbekistan in a friendly manner as part of the preparations for the Asian Cup during the international break scheduled for next November.
