Artem Bondarenko's Exclusion: A Dilemma for Marino Pusic

Artem Bondarenko was supposed to be Marino Pusic’s man. Instead, he has become his problem.

On the eve of Al-Ahli’s Roshn League clash with Al-Hazm at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, the Ukrainian midfielder has been cut from the matchday squad again, a decision that has only tightened the pressure on the Dutch coach.

Saudi journalist Waleed Saeed revealed on X that Pusic has excluded Bondarenko from the group, along with Brazilian winger Matheus Goncalves. For Bondarenko, it is a now-familiar blow. This is the third time he has been dropped from the squad entirely since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer.

The numbers are stark. Since his arrival, the 26-year-old has appeared for Al-Ahli just twice in the league: the 3-1 defeat to Al-Khaleej in the fourth round and the 5-0 demolition of Al-Riyadh in the fifth. That is the sum of his involvement.

Everywhere else, he has watched from afar. He played no part in the 3-0 loss to Al-Hilal in the third round. He was absent again for the 3-2 defeat to Al-Qadsiah in the sixth. Now, his omission has been extended into the seventh round against Al-Hazm.

For Pusic, the situation cuts deeper than simple squad rotation. He was the driving force behind the signing. The two worked together at Shakhtar between 2023 and 2025, and the coach pushed for Bondarenko as one of his key imports in Jeddah, a player he trusted to anchor his project.

The stands never truly bought into that vision. Al-Ahli fans voiced their opposition to the move even before it was completed, making their stance clear on social media and in conversations around the club. When Bondarenko finally stepped onto the pitch against Al-Riyadh, the reception turned openly hostile, with sections of the crowd jeering him during the game.

He has not featured since.

What began as a reunion between a coach and a trusted midfielder has quickly turned into a fault line between Pusic and a demanding fanbase. Each omission now feels less like a tactical call and more like a political one, a sign of a coach caught between his own convictions and the mood of the terraces.

As Al-Ahli chase stability in the Roshn League, Pusic’s handling of Bondarenko has become a test of his authority. Does he stand by the player he insisted on bringing in, or does he bow to the anger of the fans who never wanted him?

For now, Bondarenko is out of the squad, and Pusic is the one under scrutiny.