Al-Hilal Saudi Club has decided its position on the future of its defender Ali Al-Bulaihi, who is loaned to Al-Shabab until the end of the current season, after the widespread controversy that the player recently raised during the match against Al-Nasr.
Al-Bulaihi caught the attention in the match that Al-Shabab lost to Al-Nasr 4-2 last Thursday, a confrontation that brought Al-Alamy very close to clinching the Roshan Professional League title.
Al-Bulaihi scored the second goal for his team, before sparking a widespread wave of criticism after he celebrated by kissing the “shin guard” bearing his picture on the Al-Hilal shirt after scoring against Al-Nasr.
After the match, the player apologized to Al-Shabab fans and the club management, stressing that his celebration was spontaneous and without any intention to offend.
He said: “I apologize to the youth entity and its loyal fans, and to His Excellency the club president, Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Malik, for what I did during the goal celebration.”
He added: “My joy was spontaneous, and I did not mean to belittle Al-Shabab Club, which I have the utmost respect and appreciation for.”
The match also witnessed attempts by Al-Bulaihi to provoke Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, in addition to his entering into altercations with Croatian Marcelo Brozovic and Portuguese Joao Felix, before matters ended without escalation, after Al-Nasr players remained calm.
Reports circulated that the player tried to mentally influence some of Al-Nasr’s key elements, in the hope that one of them would obtain a card that would keep him away from the upcoming confrontation with Al-Hilal next Tuesday, in the 32nd round of the Roshen League.
The struggle is heating up between Al-Nasr and Al-Hilal for the league title this season, as Al-Alamy leads the standings with 82 points, five points behind Al-Zaeem, which means that Al-Nasr’s victory in the next derby will officially give it the title before the end of the round.
According to Al-Riyadiah newspaper, Al-Bulaihi will return to Al-Hilal immediately after his loan period with Al-Shabab ends at the end of the current season.
The newspaper indicated that the player’s contract with Al Hilal extends for an additional season, with his final fate being decided during the next summer transfer market, with the possibility of him participating in the team’s preparatory camp for the new season.
She also confirmed that the player will not continue with Al-Shabab after the end of the loan, in light of the interest of several Roshen League clubs in obtaining his services during the next summer Mercato.
