The coaching staff of Al-Ahli's first football team is experiencing a state of extreme anticipation and caution ahead of the 17th round of the Saudi Professional League. The team faces the risk of losing five of its key players for the crucial upcoming match against Neom, placing the coach in a genuine tactical dilemma that requires astute management of the game.
The crisis lies in the potential absence of five key players due to accumulated yellow cards, should any of them receive one in the upcoming match against Al-Khaleej. The list of players at risk of suspension includes prominent figures in the starting lineup: Turkish defender Merih Demiral, Enzo Millo, Matheus Gonçalves, full-back Ali Majrashi, and Eid Al-Mawlid. This scenario is a nightmare for the team's stability ahead of their crucial match against Neom in the 18th round, a pivotal fixture in their season.
The match against Al-Khaleej is doubly important; on the one hand, Al-Ahli aims to secure the three points to continue their climb up the standings, and on the other hand, the players must play cleanly and cautiously to avoid disciplinary sanctions. The regulations of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's Disciplinary and Ethics Committee stipulate a one-match suspension for accumulating a certain number of yellow cards, a prospect that worries Al-Ahli fans at this crucial stage of the competition.
From a technical standpoint, Al-Ahli's coaching staff understands that facing the formidable Neom team requires a full squad, given the opponent's ambitions and capabilities, which will make the match extremely competitive. Therefore, the coach is expected to issue strict instructions to the players at risk of injury before the Al-Khaleej match, emphasizing the need to avoid reckless tackles or arguing with the referee's decisions to ensure their availability for the next game.
This challenge comes amidst fierce competition in the Saudi Professional League, where dropping points or losing key players is unacceptable, especially as Al-Ahli currently sits third in the standings after their recent morale-boosting victory against Al-Kholoud. The team aims to capitalize on this momentum to overcome Al-Khaleej with minimal damage and maintain its core squad ready for the crucial upcoming rounds in what promises to be the most intense and exciting season in Saudi football history.
