Al Ahli's promising start to the Saudi Pro League season has hit its first serious obstacle. A 3-1 defeat to Al Kholood on August 29 ended their clean-sheet record and dropped them to seventh in the table with six points from three games, already five points behind leaders Al Nassr.

The loss has stirred genuine concern at the club, and not only because of the scoreline. New signing Artem Bondarenko made his first start in that match and drew sharp criticism for his performance, while reports have emerged suggesting his signing involved an arrangement between agent Jorge Mendes and sporting director Roy Pedro Baraz. That backdrop has added an off-pitch dimension to what was already a damaging result on the pitch.

The summer has brought other unsettled business. Riyad Mahrez, who led Al Ahli to back-to-back AFC Champions League Elite titles, left the club after former coach Matthias Jaissle reportedly recommended his departure. With Mahrez now close to joining Al Shabab, fans are drawing comparisons with Francesco Trincao, his replacement, who has scored once in the league so far. Striker Ivan Toni leads the Saudi Pro League scoring charts with four goals, which shows there is genuine attacking quality in the squad, but the team's inconsistency is a concern for coach Marino Boskovic.

All of that makes Tuesday's visit to Al Hilal, who have won all three league games and scored 12 goals, a defining early test. A positive result would restore confidence and reset the mood around the club. Another defeat would deepen the pressure on a squad still finding its shape under a new manager.