Inzaghi Faces Backlash Over Al-Bulaihi Exclusion
Simone Inzaghi walked into his first Roshn League press conference looking to talk about Al-Hilal’s opener against Al-Faisaly. He walked out at the centre of a storm.
The Italian’s explanation for sidelining stalwart defender Ali Al-Bulaihi has sparked a fierce backlash, led by former Saudi national team star Hussein Abdulghani, who accused the coach and the club of handling the situation “unprofessionally”.
Inzaghi’s explanation – and the spark
Ahead of Friday evening’s clash, Inzaghi was asked why Al-Bulaihi had been kept away from group training. His answer raised eyebrows.
He said he wanted to watch the young players and suggested Al-Bulaihi had grown older, implying a shift towards a new generation.
That was enough to light the fuse.
Abdulghani hits back
Speaking on the “Nadina” programme, Abdulghani did not bother to soften his words.
“Inzaghi’s words are strange and surprising to me,” he said. “He says that Ali Al-Bulaihi has grown older and that he wants to give the youngsters a chance, and that is illogical given the squad he has.”
Then came the sarcasm.
“Is Benzema 20 years old, or Koulibaly 21?” he asked, using two of the league’s headline foreign stars to underline his point about age and selection. “The coach says anything to justify excluding Al-Bulaihi, but I see that the handling of the player is not professional.”
For Abdulghani, the issue is not just tactical preference. It is respect.
A question of respect and exits
Al-Bulaihi has been a key figure for Al-Hilal and for Saudi football. That history framed Abdulghani’s strongest criticism.
“Al-Bulaihi gave a lot to Al-Hilal,” he insisted, arguing that the club should have found a cleaner, more transparent way to manage any separation. “The management should have satisfied him and sold him in a normal way, instead of dealing with him in this strange manner. Saudi clubs deal with the players they do not want in such an unprofessional way.”
It was a broadside not only at Inzaghi’s comments, but at a culture he believes still mishandles big names once they are deemed expendable.
On the eve of the new Roshn League season, Al-Hilal’s defensive plans are already under scrutiny. So is the way one of the country’s most decorated clubs chooses to move on from one of its warriors.
