Simone Inzaghi's Controversial Comments on Ali Al-Bulaihi

Simone Inzaghi walked into his pre‑match press conference expecting questions about Al-Hilal’s opener against Al-Faisaly in the Roshn League. He walked out at the centre of a storm.

The Italian coach explained that he had kept defender Ali Al-Bulaihi out of group training because he wanted to “watch the young players.” On paper, it sounded like a standard line about renewal and squad evolution. On Saudi television, it landed very differently.

Abdulghani hits out

Speaking on the “Nadina” programme, former Saudi national team star Hussein Abdulghani tore into the explanation, calling out both the logic and the treatment of a player he believes deserved better.

“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.

“Is Benzema 20 years old, or Koulibaly 21?” he asked sarcastically, using two of the league’s biggest veteran imports to underline his point about age and opportunity. “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 tactics or rotation. It is about respect.

A wider criticism of club behaviour

Al-Bulaihi, a key figure for Al-Hilal and the Saudi national team in recent years, has long been viewed as one of the pillars of the club’s defensive line. That history framed Abdulghani’s anger.

“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.”

He widened the lens from one case to a broader pattern in the domestic game.

“Saudi clubs deal with the players they do not want in such an unprofessional way,” he concluded.

On the eve of a new Roshn League season, Al-Hilal’s focus should have been on Al-Faisaly and on Inzaghi’s first steps in charge. Instead, the debate now rages around how one of the country’s most decorated defenders is being eased – or pushed – towards the exit, and what that says about the new balance of power between local stalwarts and imported stars.