Al Hilal will be fined and banned from the Saudi Super Cup. And the reason

This article is available in : العربية

The Disciplinary Committee of the Saudi Arabian Football Association (SFA) has imposed two harsh penalties on Al Hilal FC: a fine of SAR 500,000 and a ban from participating in next season’s edition of the Saudi Super Cup. These decisions came in response to the team’s sudden withdrawal from the current international tournament.

The context of apologizing to Al Hilal Club:

Al Hilal officially announced that the pressure of intense matches and the physical fatigue of the players after the FIFA Club World Cup are the main reason for not participating in the Saudi Super Cup, which will be held in Hong Kong from August 19-23.

Al-Hilal’s punishment (fine and deprivation) is one of the harshest penalties in the history of the Saudi Super Cup, but it is not the first. In 2022, Al Ittihad was fined 300,000 riyals after withdrawing from the Super Cup due to mass injuries, while in 2023, the committee reduced Al Faihaa’s penalty from deprivation to a fine of 200,000 riyals after submitting documents proving force majeure.
[Source: Discipline Committee Annual Report – Season 2022/2023]

Modification of the match schedule:
As a result of the withdrawal, Al Ahli has replaced Al Hilal in the tournament. The semifinals will feature two matches:

• Al Nasr vs Etihad Jeddah (August 22)

• Al Ahly vs Al Qadisiyah (August 23)

German camp developments:
In a parallel context, press sources revealed that Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves was absent from the team’s training camp in Germany, while all other foreign professionals attended.

Exceptional vacation details:
According to reports from Al Riyadiya, Italian coach Simone Inzaghi has given Neves an extra three days off due to his intense summer schedule with:

1. Portugal (until the UEFA Nations League final on June 8)

2. His participation with Al Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup (until the quarterfinals on July 4)

Read more…