Al-Hilal's disappointing draw against their arch-rivals Al-Ittihad sparked a wave of anger and resentment among the club's fans, despite the team maintaining their unbeaten record this season. The criticism intensified after this setback cost the team the top spot in the Saudi Professional League, handing it to their traditional rivals, Al-Nassr, thus placing Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus under intense pressure.
The context of the fierce competition in the Roshan League
This season comes amidst a historic transformation in Saudi football, with major clubs, backed by the Public Investment Fund, attracting a constellation of the world's top stars, raising expectations and ambitions to unprecedented levels. Al-Hilal, as the most successful club in the Kingdom's history, entered the season as one of the leading contenders for the title, bolstered by high-profile signings and the reappointment of experienced coach Jorge Jesus. This massive investment placed not only the pressure to win, but also the pressure to deliver convincing performances and maintain complete dominance in the competition, which explains the fans' intolerance for any setback, even a mere draw.
Details of the draw that sparked the crisis
Al-Hilal squandered two valuable points in their match against Al-Ittihad, which took place in Riyadh. Adding insult to injury, Al-Hilal failed to secure a victory despite playing with a numerical advantage for over 82 minutes after an Al-Ittihad player was sent off early in the game. The team was unable to convert their dominance and numerical superiority into goals, a fact that fans attributed to poor tactical management by coach Jesus. He faced heavy criticism for his substitutions and his reading of the game, which ultimately proved ineffective in securing a win for his team.
Record-breaking numbers don't excuse Jesus
The striking paradox is that this public outcry comes at a time when Al-Hilal, under Jesus's leadership, is achieving exceptional results, most notably an unbeaten run across all competitions. The team is delivering strong performances and securing consecutive victories, placing them at the forefront both domestically and continentally. However, losing the lead, even temporarily, in the title race—the most important thing for the fans—has overshadowed all the positive statistics. Al-Hilal supporters believe that maintaining their position at the top of the standings is the absolute priority, and that squandering points that were within reach, especially against a direct and depleted rival, is unacceptable and reflects a failure to handle crucial matches.
Local and international impacts
Domestically, this stumble benefits Al-Nassr, who seized the opportunity to take the lead, igniting the title race early and placing immense psychological pressure on Al-Hilal's players and coaching staff. Internationally, with the growing global interest in the Saudi league, any dip in form from a team of Al-Hilal's stature is closely watched and scrutinized. While Jesus's biggest challenge remains quickly regaining the top spot, he also faces the equally important task of calming the anger of the Al-Hilal fans and restoring confidence in the team's ability to translate their technical superiority into decisive results that will secure them the league title in this exceptionally competitive season.
