During the Saudi Super Cup final held at Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, a shocking incident took place involving a fan and an Al-Ittihad player. Following Al-Ittihad's 4-1 defeat to Al-Hilal, a video surfaced on social media capturing a fan lashing out at striker Abderrazak Hamdallah with a whip.
The video shows Hamdallah throwing water at the fan, who then proceeded to strike the player with the whip, seemingly hitting him on the back. Despite the altercation, the 33-year-old player did not sustain any visible injuries.
Hamdallah's teammates intervened to diffuse the situation, while the fan was escorted away by another spectator and a security official. Fortunately, a young fan in a wheelchair narrowly avoided being caught up in the confrontation.
Notably, former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who plays for Al-Ittihad, was not in close proximity to the incident. Additionally, Al-Hilal's Neymar, although sidelined due to injury, joined his team in lifting the trophy amidst the celebrations.
The Super Cup format was expanded in 2023 to include the runners-up from both the league and King’s Cup competitions, with the final relocated to Abu Dhabi. Despite the concerning incident, Al-Ittihad refrained from providing any official comments on the matter.
Hamdallah, a key player for Al-Ittihad, previously represented Morocco in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he featured as a substitute in several group-stage matches. Currently in his sixth season in Saudi Arabia, Hamdallah continues to make significant contributions to his team.
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