Artem Bondarenko's Struggles at Al-Ahli

Artem Bondarenko has become a flashpoint at Al-Ahli before he has even had the chance to settle.

The Ukrainian midfielder, signed this summer from Shakhtar Donetsk at the insistence of coach Marino Pusic, has been dropped once again, piling pressure on the Dutchman ahead of the Roshn League clash with Al-Hazm at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Friday.

Bondarenko out in the cold

Saudi journalist Waleed Saeed revealed on X that Pusic has left Bondarenko out of the matchday squad, along with Brazilian winger Matheus Goncalves. For Bondarenko, this is not a one-off. It is the third time he has been excluded from the squad since joining “Al-Raqi”.

His involvement so far has been minimal. He has appeared only twice in the league: the 3-1 defeat to Al-Khaleej in the fourth round and the emphatic 5-0 victory over Al-Riyadh in the fifth. Outside of those two outings, he has been nowhere near the pitch.

Pusic omitted him from the squad in the 3-0 loss to Al-Hilal in the third round and again in the 3-2 defeat to Al-Qadsiah in the sixth. Now, his absence has been extended into the seventh round against Al-Hazm.

A signing the fans never wanted

This is not just a tactical decision. It is political inside the club.

Pusic strongly backed the move for Bondarenko, drawing on their previous spell together at Shakhtar between 2023 and 2025. The coach saw a trusted player. The stands saw something else.

Al-Ahli fans had already voiced their opposition before the transfer was completed, making it clear they did not want the deal. When Bondarenko did play, the reaction was hostile. He was jeered during the match against Al-Riyadh, and he has not featured since.

Now the situation is awkward for everyone. The player sits on the fringes. The coach is under fire for a signing he personally pushed for. And as Al-Ahli prepare to face Al-Hazm, the tension around Bondarenko’s name hangs over Pusic’s every decision.