Rabat – At the end of the match that brought together Al-Hilal and Al-Ettifaq, as part of the Roshn Saudi League (RSL), Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus declared that the Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou would not always be his team’s starter.
Al Hilal’s new goalkeeper shone again on Monday evening, in a 2-0 victory over Al-Ettifaq. The Moroccan goalkeeper has thus begun his adventure with Al-Hilal by stringing together two successive clean sheets after last Thursday’s 4-0 win over Al-Raed.
At the post-match press briefing, however, Jesus explained that Bounou’s performances did not guarantee him a regular starting place.
“Yassine Bounou will not be our starting goalkeeper throughout the season. Abdullah Al-Mayouf will certainly be present for several matches, even in the local league,” the coach said, adding that Al-Mayouf “wants to play as a regular and I don’t really know what’s going through his mind at the moment.”
While this is not the first time the coach has talked about the goalkeeper’s position, Kalidou Koulibaly, Al-Hilal’s center-back, confided that the team felt “safer” after Bounou’s arrival.
Last week, after the match against Al-Raed, Jorge Jesus said: “Bounou is a world-class keeper, but that doesn’t diminish my confidence in Abdullah Al-Mayouf’s abilities.”
Meanwhile, Koulibaly paid tribute to his new teammate, insisting that Al-Hilal had a formidable trio in defense.
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“We put in a great performance and a precious victory. With me alongside Ali Al-Bulaihi and Yassine Bounou, we feel safer. We’re a real shield in front of Al Hilal’s goal,” Koulibaly stated.
For his part, the Moroccan keeper thanked the club’s supporters on Monday, promising to give his best to maintain the momentum and the winning streak.
“This result is very important for us. I’d like to say hello to the fans … I hope they will continue to support us until the end,” Bounou said after the match.
Yassine Bounou opted to leave the Spanish Liga last month after more than 11 years with Atletico Madrid, Girona FC, and Sevilla.
Sevilla sold the Moroccan keeper to Al-Hilal for a fee of 21 million euros, while the Moroccan international earned a record annual salary of 15 million euros.
