AFCON 2025 Patchwork: How Inzaghi Plans to Cover Bono and Koulibaly at Al Hilal
10 December 2025
Strategic plan to cover AFCON absences
Italian coach Simone Inzaghi has settled on the plan he will follow when the Saudi Pro League resumes, specifically during Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
Al Hilal will lose two key players during the African tournament: Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly, as they compete for their countries.
According to the Saudi daily Al-Youm, Inzaghi has decided to start French goalkeeper Mathieu Batouillet in the starting XI to cover Bounou's absence, while Turkish defender Yusuf Akcicek will come in for Koulibaly.
Inzaghi also relies on Akcicek in matches in the Elite Asian Champions League; Batouillet has played only one match, in the same continental competition, and kept a clean sheet.
The Africa Cup of Nations begins on December 21 in Morocco, aligning with the Saudi league's return after the pause for the Green Falcons in the 2025 Arab Cup.
Punchline 1: If football were a stand-up routine, this patchwork would have the crowd roaring before the halftime whistle.
Punchline 2: Inzaghi jokes that his strategy is like a sharp espresso—bold, a touch bitter, and best served with a smart save.
