Does the brilliance of Al Hilal’s international stars bother Salman Al-Faraj?
The scene was not usual for Salman Al-Faraj to appear outside the calculations of the basic or permanent Al-Hilal team battalion. This may be legitimate and logical for the Portuguese Jorge Jesus, coach of Al-Hilal team, whose team includes a battalion of international stars after the increase in the number of players in the Saudi League, in addition to Al-Faraj’s multiple injuries.
Things were within the framework of what was reasonable and legitimate, before Jesús spoke frankly and clearly that he imposed a technical penalty on Al-Faraj and removed him from the main roster in the Al-Wahda match. He said: “A disciplinary decision because he carried out behavior that I did not like, and he refused to disclose,” adding, “Al-Hilal is more important than everything.” ».
This was followed by actions that began to translate the problem between the coach and the player, through Al-Faraj’s account on the “Snapchat” platform, and he was very active in his last period through his account through his responses with followers, which still did not find acceptance among the crescent circles.
Jesús then confirmed that the matter was over and the punishment was implemented, but Al-Faraj continued to be absent from the match with Abha last round, and it is not yet clear whether the player can participate and be on the team’s roster in the match with Al-Fayhaa, the round that precedes the long pause this season in preparation for the Saudi national team’s participation in the Asian Cup, which it is hosting. The Qatari capital, Doha.
Jorge Jesus, Al Hilal coach, is thinking about the future of his team leader (Al Hilal Club)
A number of sources explained that the dispute was the result of Al-Faraj’s anger over his inclusion in the last minute and his refusal to take to the field in the Al-Taawoun match in the King’s Cup quarter-finals, which angered Jesus and he decided to remove the player.
Al-Faraj is not a marginal player or a name that has passed quietly in Saudi football competitions, not just Al-Hilal. Rather, he is an influential player who possesses a lot of technical potential and the ability to play permanently and continue as an influential player in his team until now.
Frenchman Hervé Renard, the former Saudi national team coach, said about him before the start of the 2022 World Cup finals: “I always focus on team performance. But if I had to choose, I would choose Salman Al-Faraj, the captain of the national team and the Al-Hilal team, who is similar in many respects to the Italian Thiago Motta. He has a left foot and exceptional technique. He is almost the balance of the team.”
Years ago, Al-Faraj was an icon for a prominent Saudi generation, before he translated his stardom by carrying the leadership badge in his team, Al-Hilal, and the Saudi national team.
But the current season began less than ideal for Al-Faraj, who suffered in his last years from the curse of injuries, and became largely outside the accounts of Al-Hilal’s coaches.
Al-Azraq Al-Asmi tops the Saudi Professional League standings with 50 points, with a difference of ten points from its runner-up Al-Nasr, which has a postponed match against Al-Ittihad. The point difference with it will reduce to seven points if it returns with a victory.
Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach, Jesus, recorded exemplary numbers on the offensive and defensive side, and in the AFC Champions League, he qualified at the top of his group, and reached the semi-finals of the King’s Cup.
Al-Hilal has two foreigners in the pivot area, which is the position occupied by Salman Al-Faraj, as the Serbian Savic, who has the largest offensive roles, and the Portuguese Ruben Neves, who has the defensive roles, alternate with them. Mohamed Kanno, Salman Al-Faraj, and even Abdul-Ilah Al-Maliki, recently, alternate with them, and everyone has the opportunity to participate in varying minutes due to… Matches follow and the number of participants increases.
Al-Faraj started his current season in a way that began similar to last season, with an injury that prevented him from participating with Al-Azraq Al-Asmi in the King Salman Cup for Arab Clubs, and the start of the Saudi League.
Salman Al-Faraj did not play much with Al-Hilal this season (Al-Hilal Club)
“Salman Al-Faraj” appeared this season in one match at the Saudi League level as a key player, and it was against Al-Tai, where he participated in 65 minutes before he was replaced, while he participated in seven matches as a substitute, with an average of minutes, the highest of which was 24 minutes against Al-Akhdood, and one minute as the lowest. The playing minutes were against Al-Nasr, and in total, Al-Faraj’s participation in minutes at the league level amounted to 134 minutes, and he was absent from the team’s roster for nine full matches.
In detail, according to Transfermarkt, Al-Faraj’s first appearance this season was in the fourth round against Al-Ettifaq, where he participated as a substitute for four minutes, then against Al-Ittihad and participated in three minutes, then ten minutes against Al-Riyadh, before sitting on the bench against Damac without any participation. Then he participates in seven minutes in front of Al-Shabab, then 24 minutes in front of Al-Akhdood.
Al-Faraj was then absent from Al-Hilal’s roster in four matches against Al-Khaleej, Al-Ahly, Al-Fateh and Al-Taawoun. He was present against Al-Hazm and participated in 21 minutes, before participating for one minute against Al-Nasr, then he attended for the first time at the league level, mainly against Al-Taei and participated for 65 minutes.
As for the AFC Champions League, Al-Faraj had a greater presence, as he participated primarily in three matches before receiving a red card and missing with a disciplinary penalty for three consecutive matches. In total, Al-Faraj participated as an Asian in 197 minutes this season.
As for the King’s Cup tournament, Al-Faraj mainly participated in the match against Al-Jabalayn in the round of 32 and played in 67 minutes, before he missed the Al-Hazm match and came on the bench against Al-Taawoun.
Al-Faraj’s absence was not limited to Al-Hilal, as the Saudi national team captain missed the preparatory camp held in Newcastle, before attending the Portugal camp held last October. He participated as a substitute in the friendly match against Nigeria and scored a goal from a free kick. He participated mainly in the confrontation with Mali.
Salman Al-Faraj was outside the accounts of the Italian Roberto Mancini, coach of the Saudi national team, at the start of Al-Akhdar’s journey in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, as the Italian coach relied on young names in most of his list, and Al-Faraj was one of the absent names.
With a quick glance at last season, injuries played a major role in his multiple absences, as he participated in eight matches at the league level out of thirty matches available, and in the King’s Cup he participated in two matches out of four matches, and he missed representing his team in the Club World Cup, as well as He missed the Saudi Super Cup due to injury.
The AFC Champions League was the most attended competition for Salman Al-Faraj with his team last season, as he participated in all nine matches that the team played, and despite participating as a substitute in a number of matches, he participated in six group stage matches, and four matches in the elimination rounds, before To miss the second leg of the final against the Japanese team Urawa due to injury.
As for the Saudi national team, Al-Faraj participated in two friendly matches last year out of eight matches, which meant his absence in six matches. In the Qatar 2022 World Cup finals, Al-Faraj participated in the match against Argentina, which witnessed a historic victory for Al-Akhdar, but he bid farewell to the confrontation before its end due to injury, and missed the match. Participation in the rest of the group stage.
Al-Faraj, who was born in Medina on August 1, 1989, was discovered by the president of Al-Hilal Club at the time, Prince Mohammed bin Faisal, in 2004, after he saw him playing in one of the Ramadan tournaments for the six-player tournament in the club’s gym. He succeeded in securing his starting spot in the Al-Hilal team, and became A difficult number on the blue team’s map.
He rose through the youth groups and reached the youth team in 2008, which he quickly left after playing only five matches, where he was promoted the following year to the first team, which was supervised by Romanian coach Olario at the time.
It is impossible to deny the role of Al-Faraj, his brilliant stardom, and his influence on the performance and style of the team as a group and as a distinguished leader, but injuries are a curse that haunts Al-Faraj and reduces his importance, and certainly the rise in the level and quality of foreign players and Al-Faraj’s advanced age reduces the extent of his influence, and it is something Al-Faraj must realize in order to continue. His stardom is perfect without deviating from the norm and moving away from the artistic framework that he has always been known for, and he is a person who does not talk much and his media permits seem limited and he often attends the end of the season.
2023-12-27 17:28:56
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