Derby Firestorm: Leonardo's Celebration Could Cost Hilal Star a Hefty Fine

Disciplinary risk looms after Saudi derby

Marcus Leonardo, the Brazilian midfielder for Al Hilal, faces a hefty ban from the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee over his actions during the recent Saudi Pro League derby against Al Ittihad, played last Friday night.

Leonardo had himself helped secure a 2-0 victory for Hilal by scoring, in the sixth round of the season’s Saudi Pro League, away from home.

The Brazilian’s celebration ignited the anger of Union supporters, who attacked him vigorously, deeming the gesture provocative and unsporting, and calling for punishment.

In this regard, academic lawyer Hassan Radif told Okaz newspaper that the Disciplinary and Ethics Code emphasizes respecting the crowd and not provoking it. He noted that Article 57’s first paragraph states that anyone who provokes spectators by action, word, or gesture during a match shall be fined 50,000 riyals.

Radif added that Leonardo’s actions hinge on the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee’s assessment of whether the player’s conduct amounted to provoking the crowd, or not; enforcement is a matter of interpretation and discretion.

He also pointed out that Union supporters’ conduct could be punishable under Article 51, with penalties varying according to the number of projectiles thrown onto the pitch. For example, if the projectiles exceed twenty, the club can be fined 100,000 riyals.

Radif stressed that this offense is the first by the Union supporters in this context, suggesting the committee will likely settle for a fine rather than more severe sanctions such as playing behind closed doors or relocating a match.

Victory and its aftermath

Italian head coach Simone Inzaghi rewarded his players after the important win over the traditional rivals with an open dinner at the Al-Inma Stadium, following the derby victory.

The report said Inzaghi thanked the players for their efforts that produced a sixth consecutive win.

Benzema’s tough night

French captain Karim Benzema, captain of Al Ittihad, tasted defeat for the fifth time against Hilal after the teams were handed a 2-0 loss in the sixth round of the Saudi Pro League.

According to the newspaper, Benzema, since moving to Al Ittihad in the summer of 2023, has faced Hilal seven times in various competitions, winning only twice and losing five, and scoring five goals in those meetings.

He has played 58 Clasico-style matches across Spain and Saudi Arabia in his career, including 46 clashes against Barcelona in various competitions from 2009 to 2023, scoring 16 goals and providing 11 assists, with his former Real Madrid side winning 15 of those games, losing 21, and drawing 10.

The source adds that Benzema faced Barcelona 27 times in La Liga alone, scoring eight goals and making four assists, with nine wins, 13 losses, and five draws. He has also lined up against Al Nassr in five matches for Al Ittihad, recording two wins and three defeats, with two goals and another assist; he even lost the latest Clasico against the capital club in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final 1-2.

Friday’s Clasico

Hilal extended their advantage with a sixth win over Al Ittihad in the derby played yesterday, Friday.

Okaz notes that the two teams have met in this Friday derby nine times; Hilal have won six and lost three, with no draw since the league’s inception in 2008.

In this rivalry, Brazilian Tiago Neves, a former Hilal player, stands as the top scorer in these clashes with four goals, followed by Fahd Al-Mawlid and Serbian Alexander Mitrović, each with three goals.

A long-standing hex for Al Ittihad

The loss deepens a historical hurdle for Al Ittihad against Hilal: they have failed to win back-to-back league meetings for nine years. The club’s last such streak came in 2016. Hilal’s dominance on their own turf is clear too: only four losses in 18 league visits, a rate below 25%.

By contrast, Hilal has collected nine wins (50%), with five draws; the leaders have scored 30 goals to Al Ittihad’s 22 in derby matches on the visitors’ ground.

And that’s the story from the Saudi Pro League’s hottest rivalry—where math meets magic, and drama never goes offside. Punchlines to end on: if this derby were a film, the soundtrack would be a whistle and a chorus of groans; and if sarcasm were a sport, this match would score a hat-trick in a phone booth.