Al-Ahli set for new Roshn Saudi League season with two signings and a reserve goalkeeper

Al-Ahli head coach Marino Pusic has settled on the key features of his side for his first Roshn Saudi League match, with the Dutchman preparing to begin the 2026-27 campaign against Al-Diriyah on Thursday.

The fixture will be played at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh and will mark Pusic’s first league game in charge of Al-Ahli since taking over as the club’s new manager.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah, Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi is expected to start in goal in place of Edouard Mendy. The Senegal international has been unavailable since the 2026 World Cup, hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico, after suffering an injury during the tournament.

Al-Sanbi’s inclusion is one of the main changes expected in Pusic’s first league line-up. The goalkeeper will be tasked with filling the position normally occupied by Mendy as Al-Ahli begin their campaign at home in Riyadh.

Pusic has also chosen to introduce two summer arrivals directly into his starting XI. Portugal winger Francisco Trincao, who joined from Sporting CP, is set to feature, while Armenia international Eduard Spertsyan is expected to play after moving from Russian club FC Krasnodar.

Trincao will replace Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez, while Spertsyan is due to take the place of Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie. Both Mahrez and Kessie left Al-Ahli during the current summer transfer window, creating two significant vacancies in the team.

The club will not have a full-strength midfield selection for the opening game, with French midfielder Enzo Millot absent. Al-Ahli are seeking to move Millot on during the current summer transfer window, and he is therefore set to miss the match against Al-Diriyah.

The opening fixture will provide Pusic with his first opportunity to establish his preferred approach in competitive league football. His early decisions have included handing starting roles to new arrivals Trincao and Spertsyan, while also selecting Al-Sanbi to cover for the injured Mendy.

Al-Ahli are aiming to make a strong start to the Saudi league season as they attempt to reclaim the title. The club’s most recent championship triumph came in 2016, and they have not lifted the league trophy since then.

Their meeting with Al-Diriyah is the first step in that latest attempt to return to the top of Saudi football. The match also represents the beginning of a new era under Pusic, with the manager overseeing a side reshaped by the departures of Mahrez and Kessie, the arrivals of Trincao and Spertsyan, and the enforced absence of Mendy.