Al Ahli are navigating one of the most turbulent stretches of their season, with results and off-pitch tensions combining to create a genuine crisis of confidence around the Jeddah club. The 6-1 defeat to Al-Shabab in Matchday 12 of the Saudi Pro League was the low point, a result that triggered loud fan protests and renewed calls for coach Marino Bositic to be dismissed. A goalless draw away to Al-Sadd in the AFC Champions League Elite followed, doing little to ease the mood. Bositic remains in his post primarily for financial reasons: sports journalist Abdullah Ahmed has reported that the remaining value on his contract, which runs until June 2028, exceeds 45 million SAR, making a formal dismissal costly for the club.

The injury situation is adding to Bositic's problems. French midfielder Valentin Atangana was forced off inside the opening 20 minutes against Al-Sadd after a collision with a teammate, and his availability remains unclear. Zakaria Housawi is also sidelined with a partial cruciate ligament injury, while Saleh Abou Al-Shamat is out with a shoulder problem.

Despite the turbulence, Al Ahli sit sixth in the Saudi Pro League with 21 points from 11 games, still within reach of the leading positions. The next test comes at home to Al-Taawoun on 7 November, a match the club will view as an opportunity to steady themselves before the season's bigger challenges arrive.