Bondarenko booing leaves Pusic questioning Al Ahli support after Riyadh rout

Al Ahli manager Marino Pusic criticised the club’s supporters after they jeered new signing Artem Bondarenko during a 5-0 victory over Al Riyadh in the Roshn Saudi League.

The emphatic win at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium on Friday was Al Ahli’s first in the competition since two successive defeats, but the home crowd’s treatment of Bondarenko dominated Pusic’s post-match comments.

The Ukraine midfielder, who joined from Shakhtar Donetsk, was booed by sections of the Al Ahli support whenever he touched the ball.

Speaking at his news conference, in comments reported by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Pusic pointed to the club’s motto: “Together we will march through time.”

He added: “I know how much Al Ahli fans love their club, but their absence today saddened me. A week ago they were welcoming the player, and today they were not welcoming him. All the players work together with their team-mate to make the fans happy.”

Pusic also defended his squad and said statistics alone did not determine a player’s value.

“I admire all the players I have,” he said. “Football does not depend only on numbers, but also on timing and space. I try to deal with all the players in the right way because every one of them is capable of making a difference.”

The Dutchman admitted Al Ahli had made a poor start against Al Riyadh, although he was pleased with the way his side responded after taking the lead.

“We started badly, but we defended well, and as soon as we scored the first goal, things became better,” Pusic said. “After that, we produced a wonderful performance. What the players showed today after the last two matches made me feel very proud of them.”

Al Ahli had lost 3-1 away to Al Kholood in the previous round before suffering a 3-0 defeat by Al Hilal. The victory over Al Riyadh therefore provided a significant response to those results, according to Pusic.

“It is not about what happened in the past, but about how we continue from now on,” he said. “Of course, today’s match showed a very positive reaction after the previous results and reflected the spirit of Al Ahli.”

Despite the five-goal margin, the manager’s main concern was the relationship between the supporters and Bondarenko, who is still adapting after his move from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Pusic’s comments came after a match in which Al Ahli returned to winning ways in the Roshn Saudi League, while also making clear that he expected the club’s fans to support every member of the squad.