Derby Shock Sparks Galeno’s Fate: Jaissle Weighs a Third Al-Ahli Appearance in the Roshen League
21 November 2025
Derby Shock
German coach Matthias Jaissle, the manager of Al-Ahli Jeddah, has signaled that Brazilian winger Wandererson Galeno could feature for a third time this season in the Saudi Pro League.
Al-Ahli host Al-Qadisiyah on Friday at the Al-Inma Stadium, in round nine of the league.
Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiya reported that Galeno is ready to play following the team’s training session on Thursday, after a series of medical tests to confirm full recovery.
The Brazilian passed all medical checks in recent days, paving the way for his complete readiness for the match.
The report noted that Jaissle has placed heavy emphasis on Galeno during Thursday’s training.
The story also mentions that the final call on Galeno’s participation will come at the technical meeting before kickoff.
Derby Context and Galeno’s Return
That derby story follows the shock of the earlier clash against Al-Ittihad on November 8, where the rivals’ clash carried big emotions and the victory was clinched by a goal from Algerian star Riyad Mahrez for Al-Raqi.
Days earlier, Galeno returned to the pitch as a substitute in the 2-1 win over Al-Sadd in the AFC Champions League group stage, providing an assist as he came on.
Many expected him to start the derby against Al-Ittihad, but Jaissle preferred teammate Matheus Goncalves in the lineup instead.
Third Appearance on the Line
If Galeno returns, it would be his first league appearance in more than two months and his third of the season.
The winger came on as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Neom on August 28, then started the draw with Al-Ettifaq on September 12, before missing subsequent matches.
Since then, Galeno has sat out Al-Ahli’s league games against several rivals and also missed key AFC Champions League fixtures as well as the King’s Cup quarter-final against Al-Batin.
Injury, Misdiagnosis and Aftermath
Galeno’s injury before the Nasaf Qarshi match in September sidelined him for a long spell, and reports indicate misdiagnoses prolonged his absence.
As a consequence, Al-Ahli’s board fired the club’s medical staff, led by Khalid Al-Ghamdi, amid tensions over diagnosis and treatment planning.
The Saudi daily Al-Yom noted that the medical error frustrated the technical staff, who felt efforts to diagnose and treat the injury were inadequate, prompting the management to intervene.
Since the Nasaf match, Al-Ahli’s attack has looked less dangerous without Galeno, who is a key creator for Jaissle’s setup.
Galeno’s Journey with Al-Ahli
To date, the Brazilian has not yet delivered the breakthrough expected this season (2025-2026), featuring in 7 games for 381 minutes without a goal, but he does have one assist against Al-Sadd.
Galeno joined Al-Ahli in January 2025 from Porto in a deal reportedly around €50 million, signing a contract through June 2028.
Across his time with the club, he has appeared in 25 matches, scoring 7 goals and adding 6 assists, but recurring injuries have hampered his campaign, prompting some fans to label him the “unfinished transfer.”
Notably, Galeno played a pivotal role in last season’s Elite AFC Champions League triumph by opening the scoring in the 2-0 final win over Kawasaki Frontale.
