The Roshn Saudi League cancelled Al Ahli manager Marino Pusic’s post-match press conference after the club’s 3-0 defeat by Al Hilal because no interpreter was available.
Al Hilal won the delayed Saudi clasico at Kingdom Arena, securing a convincing victory against Al Ahli in a fixture from the third round of the Roshn Saudi League. The match was reported as being played on Tuesday evening, while the league’s announcement about the cancellation was issued after the encounter on Sunday evening.
According to Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah, the reason Pusic could not attend the scheduled media conference was the absence of an interpreter. The explanation was given by the Roshn Saudi League’s media co-ordinator to journalists assigned to cover the match.
The interpreter had been shown a red card late in the first half. That dismissal meant he was unable to remain at the stadium for the press conference that was due to follow the rearranged fixture.
It was an unusual sequence of events on a difficult night for Al Ahli. The visitors conceded twice before half-time and were reduced to 10 men when their Turkey defender Merih Demiral was sent off.
Al Ahli were unable to recover after the interval. Al Hilal added a third goal in the second half to complete a 3-0 victory and settle the latest meeting between the two clubs.
The match had originally been scheduled for the third round of the Roshn Saudi League but was played as a postponed fixture. Al Hilal’s result gave them a decisive win in the high-profile clash, while Al Ahli’s problems were compounded by the early dismissal of Demiral and the subsequent loss of their interpreter.
With the interpreter unavailable, Pusic was unable to take part in the usual post-match questioning. The league therefore confirmed that the press conference would not take place, rather than allowing the Al Ahli manager to address reporters without translation support.
The incident followed a first half in which Al Ahli’s position deteriorated quickly. Two goals left them trailing before Demiral’s sending-off further limited their ability to challenge their opponents. Al Hilal maintained control after the break and extended their advantage to three goals.
The cancellation meant there was no formal media briefing from Pusic after the final whistle, despite the significance of the match and the result. It was not attributed to the manager’s absence from the stadium, but specifically to the lack of an available interpreter after the official had been dismissed during the game.
