Galeno angered by late Al Ahli switch in Sundowns defeat

Wenderson Galeno was reportedly unhappy after being brought on as a left-back during Al Ahli’s 2-1 defeat by Mamelodi Sundowns in the Intercontinental Cup on Saturday.

The Brazilian winger only appeared in the closing stages, but his deployment in an unfamiliar defensive role is understood to have triggered his frustration.

The disagreement with Dutch manager Marino Pusic began before kick-off, according to the television programme Dorina Ghair, when the coach met Galeno to assess his physical and technical readiness following his recovery from injury.

“ The player told his manager that he wanted to play, particularly after recovering from his injury, but the latter asked him not to rush back in case of a sudden relapse,” the programme reported.

Galeno was subsequently left out of the starting line-up, which reportedly caused further anger. His late introduction as a left-back then escalated the situation, the report added.

“The decision not to include Galeno in the starting line-up caused considerable anger for the player, while what sparked the crisis was his introduction in the final minutes as a left-back,” it said.

Al Ahli are enduring a difficult period both on and off the pitch. Reports have also suggested that Pusic could leave the club after a short spell in charge.