Al Ahli's 4-0 demolition of Al Fateh on October 9 was the clearest sign yet that Marino Busiç's position at the club is more complicated than it appeared just days earlier. Goals from Francisco Trincão (two), Ivan Toney and Ziad Al-Jahani produced a statement result that lifted the club to sixth place in the Saudi Pro League with 15 points from eight matches, and briefly silenced the growing calls for managerial change. The win mattered because it came after a turbulent run that had included a defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the Intercontinental Cup and a loss to Al-Qadisiyah in the league, prompting reports that the club was considering Romanian coach Eduard Iordănescu as a replacement for Busiç.

The victory did not come without cost. Mateus Gonçalves, who started the match, picked up a concerning injury that could keep him out for an extended period, adding to the squad management challenges ahead. Toney leads the league's scoring charts with 11 goals, and his partnership with Trincão is giving the team real attacking punch when the squad is settled.

Attention now turns to the AFC Champions League Elite, where Al Ahli travel to face Al-Wasl on October 12 at Zabeel Stadium. The club drew their opening group game 1-1 against Pakhtakor, so a win in Dubai is important to keep their title defence on track.