Al-Ahly Fans' Revolt Forces Sporting Director Rui Pedro to Quit in Hours

In the 2026 summer transfer window in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Ahly experienced an unprecedented revolt from fans. Supporters launched a social media campaign against the club's new signings, leading to the swift sacking of sporting director Rui Pedro within a few hours after the news broke. According to Goal.com, the outrage erupted after the club spent 12 million euros to sign striker Baby Cabral from Monaco. Although the player featured for just 114 minutes last season, Cabral's market value is around 1.2 million euros. At the same time, Al-Ahly added Artem Bondarenko from Shakhtar Donetsk to replace Franck Kessié. Riyad Mahrez and Franck Kessié left the club after their contracts expired. Al-Ahly fans felt Bondarenko was unworthy of replacing Kessié, while Cabral was a risky choice with limited form. Just hours later, Al-Ahly's board terminated Rui Pedro's contract, who had led Benfica from 2026 to 2026. Sources revealed the decision came under fan pressure, demonstrating the power of supporters in influencing transfer strategy. Meanwhile, coach Matthias Jaissle also departed for Newcastle United, leaving a major void in leadership. Al-Ahly is in a state of chaos, with the squad losing two key players without adequate replacements, raising concerns about performance in the Saudi Pro League. Experts note that the 12 million euro spend on Cabral is highly risky, especially since Al-Ahly is heavily backed by PIF. The quick sacking of Rui Pedro shows Al-Ahly prioritizes fan satisfaction, though it may lead to poorly strategic long-term decisions. With new players like Bondarenko and Cabral facing fan hostility, both risk being labeled 'failures' from the start of the season. Al-Ahly needs to quickly find a clear direction to avoid falling into the current unstable vortex.