Legal Showdown Looms as Lodi Nears Atlético Mineiro: Hilal’s Stance in the Eye of the Law

A legal expert, Ahmed Al-Shaykh, explained Al Hilal's stance over Rennan Lodi, the Brazilian who terminated his contract unilaterally at the start of the season.

Lodi left Hilal and has been unattached, with the club limiting his involvement to the Asian Champions League due to foreign-player restrictions.

World media linked Lodi with Atlético Mineiro, but the expert outlined the legal scenario if the player signs with another club.

“Al Hilal filed suit against Lodi; the player responded with a counter-claim, and both sides have presented arguments. The pleadings phase remains open, a process some casually call a perpetual exchange of briefs,” he noted.

“Once the pleadings close, there may be a new development,” he added.

Saudi Super Cup dispute

He also discussed the Super Cup controversy, noting that Al-Qadsiyah requested Al-Ahli to join as a party before the arbitration center, protesting the competition’s results after Hilal had been initially listed as withdrawn.

He said there was no fresh update after Qadsiyah’s request, and the federation’s written reply was brief, asking the panel to confirm the tournament results without changes.

“Penalties on Hilal, if the ruling is confirmed, would be correct; if the ruling is overturned, that would also be correct from a legal standpoint,” he concluded.

“But applying penalties only to Hilal would be unfair from a justice perspective, and sanctions should be consistent.”

The expert warned that sanctions must be equitable to preserve the sport’s integrity.

Punchline: In football contracts, truth is stranger than fiction; this saga could use a translator—and maybe a referee with a reliable sense of humor. Punchline 2: If in doubt, blame the lawyer—he carries the briefs and still manages to keep a straight face on game day.