Al-Ahli's Dutch head coach Marino Pusic has sprung a surprise ahead of the eagerly anticipated clash with Al-Hilal. He has left one of his new signings out of the squad, a move that lays bare his frustration with the player's display in the previous match against Al-Khaleej.
Al-Ahli prepare to face Al-Hilal on Tuesday evening in the rescheduled match from the third round of the Roshn League, desperate to restore balance after the heavy 3-1 defeat to Al-Khaleej. "The Boss", meanwhile, enter the fixture chasing more of the same, keen to extend their winning run and tighten their grip on the title race.
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According to media figure Waleed Saeed, who is close to Al-Ahli, Pusic has decided to leave Ukrainian Artem Bondarenko, the new arrival to the ranks of "the Elegant", out of the squad for the Clasico against Al-Hilal. The call followed a performance that fell short of expectations in the previous round.
Bondarenko clearly failed to convince the technical staff against Al-Khaleej. He looked well below the level expected of him, and it coincided with a poor showing from Al-Ahli as a whole. That combination pushed the coach into swift changes ahead of a far tougher test against one of the strongest teams in the Roshn League.
Bondarenko pays the price for the Al-Khaleej night
His display against Al-Khaleej was no passing concern for the technical staff. Bondarenko arrived at Al-Ahli amid great hopes that he would give the team a fresh dimension, yet in his first tests he could not prove his ability to make a difference or deliver the performance Pusic wants.
Leaving him out confirms that the Dutch coach will not risk fielding any player he does not rate as being at his best. Facing Al-Hilal demands the highest levels of concentration, discipline and readiness, and "the Boss" possess attacking weapons capable of punishing any mistake.
The exclusion may also send a clear message to every Al-Ahli player: a place in the starting line-up is not guaranteed. Each one must earn his right to feature through his performance and output on the pitch, whatever the size of the transfer fee or the weight of past reputations.
