Bondarenko's Exclusion Heightens Pressure on Pusic at Al-Ahli

Artem Bondarenko has become the centre of a storm at Al-Ahli — and he is not even in the squad.

The Ukrainian midfielder has once again been dropped by coach Marino Pusic ahead of the Roshn League clash with Al-Hazm on Friday at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, a decision that has only intensified scrutiny on the Dutchman.

Saudi journalist Waleed Saeed revealed on X that Pusic has excluded Bondarenko from the matchday list, along with Brazilian winger Matheus Goncalves. For Bondarenko, it is a now familiar blow.

This is the third time he has been left out of the squad entirely since his summer move from Shakhtar Donetsk.

His minutes so far tell the story. Two appearances only for “Al-Raqi”: the 1-3 defeat to Al-Khaleej in the fourth round, then the 5-0 rout of Al-Riyadh in the fifth. Nothing before, nothing after.

In the other league fixtures, Bondarenko has watched from afar. He was omitted from the squad for the 0-3 loss to Al-Hilal in the third round, then again for the 2-3 defeat to Al-Qadsiah in the sixth. Now comes a fresh absence against Al-Hazm.

Each omission tightens the vise on Pusic.

This was his signing. The coach pushed hard for Bondarenko, having previously worked with him at Shakhtar between 2023 and 2025, and backed him as a player who could shape Al-Ahli’s midfield.

The fans never bought in.

Even before the deal was completed, sections of the Al-Ahli support voiced their opposition to the move. When Bondarenko did finally step onto the pitch against Al-Riyadh, the reaction was brutal: he was jeered by his own crowd.

He has not featured since.

Now, with Al-Ahli trying to steady themselves in the seventh round of the Saudi Roshn League, Pusic finds himself in a bind of his own making — the player he insisted on bringing in is on the outside looking in, and the fans are still asking why.