Former Al Nassr president denies role in Matthias Jaissle exit amid Al Ahli tension

Former Al Nassr president Prince Faisal bin Turki has publicly distanced himself and his old club from Matthias Jaissle’s departure from Al Ahli, after a pointed social media post sparked anger among the Jeddah side’s supporters.

German coach Jaissle is reported to have submitted his resignation to Al Ahli on Thursday, with Saudi media saying he is set to take over at Newcastle United next season, succeeding his former manager Eddie Howe.

Soon after those reports emerged, Prince Faisal posted a message on his official account on X which many Al Ahli fans interpreted as mockery.

He wrote: “حلوا مشاكلكم مع مدربكم الذي ترككم بعيدا عن النصر، لا ندري عنه ولم نات بخبره” – a comment effectively telling Al Ahli supporters to resolve their issues with a coach “who left you far from Al Nassr”, while insisting he and his club had nothing to do with the situation.

Tension with Al Ahli fans

Although Prince Faisal did not mention Al Ahli by name, the remarks were clearly directed at sections of the club’s fanbase, who had accused figures linked to Al Nassr of influencing Jaissle’s decision to walk away.

The former Al Nassr president’s intervention comes against the backdrop of a deteriorating relationship between the two sets of supporters over the past season.

Matches between Al Ahli and Al Nassr in both the Saudi Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League (Dawri Roshn) have fuelled a growing sense of rivalry and mistrust.

Last season, Al Ahli – known as “Al Raqi” – lifted the Saudi Super Cup after overcoming their Riyadh rivals, a result that intensified celebrations among their supporters and frustration on the other side.

In the league, the pair shared the spoils in head-to-head meetings, with each club recording a victory over the other, adding further edge to a fixture already high in profile.

Accusations of favouritism

The ill-feeling was further stoked after one of those encounters, when some Al Ahli players publicly criticised what they saw as favourable treatment for Al Nassr.

Turkish defender Merih Demiral was among the most prominent voices, as he and others accused Saudi Pro League officials of bias towards Al Nassr in order to benefit their star forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Those comments fed into a broader narrative among some Al Ahli supporters, who have since been quick to suspect Al Nassr or its affiliates whenever controversy arises involving the two clubs.

Jaissle at the centre of new storm

Jaissle’s surprise decision to quit Al Ahli has now become the latest flashpoint in that ongoing dispute.

While no official confirmation has yet been issued by Newcastle United or Al Ahli regarding the German’s next move, local reports linking him with a switch to the Premier League side have prompted intense speculation in Saudi Arabia.

Against that backdrop, Prince Faisal’s message was intended, from his perspective, to reject any suggestion of Al Nassr’s involvement, stating that they neither knew nor cared about the coach’s situation.

However, the tone of the post – especially the reference to Al Ahli being “left far from Al Nassr” – was widely perceived among Al Ahli fans as a barbed jibe rather than a neutral clarification, ensuring that the online feud between the two rival camps is unlikely to cool any time soon.