Edouard Mendy poised to return for Al-Ahli against Abha after injury lay-off

Marino Pusic is set to restore Edouard Mendy to the Al-Ahli starting line-up for Saturday’s Roshn Saudi League meeting with Abha, signalling the Senegal goalkeeper’s return after a lengthy spell out with a knee injury.

Mendy has missed Al-Ahli’s opening two matches of the new season. The Jeddah side began their league campaign with a 1-0 victory over Al-Diriyah before beating Al-Anwar 2-1 in the round of 32 of the King’s Cup.

According to the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah, Al-Ahli head coach Pusic has decided that Mendy will start against Abha. The fixture is expected to be the goalkeeper’s first appearance for the club this season.

Al-Ahli will host Abha, who have recently been promoted to the Roshn Saudi League, at Alinma Bank Stadium in Jeddah on Saturday. The match will be the club’s second league game of the campaign.

Reports had indicated that Mendy was fit enough to feature in Monday’s King’s Cup match against Al-Anwar. However, Al-Riyadiyah reported that Pusic preferred to give the 33-year-old more time to recover fully before bringing him back into competitive action.

Mendy suffered a knee ligament injury while playing for Senegal against Norway in the second round of the group stage at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has been absent from football since that injury.

The goalkeeper is Al-Ahli’s current captain and has been with the Jeddah club since the summer of 2023, when he joined from Chelsea.

During his time with Al-Ahli, Mendy has helped the club win the AFC Champions League Elite twice and the Saudi Super Cup. His return would therefore provide Pusic with the experience of a player who has become an important figure both on the pitch and within the squad.

Al-Ahli have opened the new season with two wins in competitive matches, defeating Al-Diriyah in the first round of the Roshn Saudi League before progressing past Al-Anwar in the King’s Cup. Mendy was not involved in either game as he continued his recovery from the injury sustained with Senegal.

Pusic’s decision means the goalkeeper’s comeback is likely to come in front of Al-Ahli’s home supporters, with Abha providing the opposition in the club’s second league fixture. The match will also mark Mendy’s first opportunity to play for Al-Ahli since his long absence began.