Simone Inzaghi Faces Criticism Over Ali Al-Bulaihi's Exclusion

Simone Inzaghi walked into his pre-match press conference expecting questions about Al-Faisaly, tactics and debuts. He walked out at the centre of a storm over Ali Al-Bulaihi.

On the eve of Al-Hilal’s Roshn League opener, the Italian coach explained that he had kept Al-Bulaihi away from group training because he wanted to “watch the young players.” It sounded simple enough. A new coach, a long season, a look at the next generation.

The reaction was anything but simple.

Former Saudi national team star Hussein Abdulghani tore into the explanation live on the “Nadina” programme, branding Inzaghi’s reasoning “strange and surprising” and openly questioning the logic behind sidelining one of the club’s most experienced defenders.

“Inzaghi's words are strange and surprising to me,” Abdulghani 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 sting.

With a sharp dose of sarcasm, Abdulghani pointed at the wider picture in Saudi football, where major clubs have invested heavily in established international stars while speaking publicly about youth development.

“Is Benzema 20 years old, or Koulibaly 21?” he asked, mocking the age-based justification. “The coach says anything to justify excluding Al-Bulaihi, but I see that the handling of the player is not professional.”

For Abdulghani, this is not just about one defender missing one game. It is about how a club treats a player who has been a pillar of its success.

“Al-Bulaihi gave a lot to Al-Hilal,” he insisted. “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.”

So, as Al-Hilal launch their league campaign against Al-Faisaly, the focus does not rest solely on systems, line-ups or title ambitions. It also hangs over a veteran defender on the outside looking in, a coach under early scrutiny, and a blunt question that will not go away quickly: how do Saudi giants really plan to handle the old guard in this new era?