Akcicek Rises to Fill Koulibaly's Void at Al Hilal

Akcicek keeps grinding to plug Koulibaly's gap

Turkish defender Yusuf Akcicek of Al Hilal defies any notion of taking it easy after the Italian coach Simone Inzaghi granted the squad a rest following the latest King Cup clash with Al Fateh.

Saudi outlet Al-Yom reports that Akcicek continues private training to fill the void left by his Senegalese teammate Kalidou Koulibaly, despite the rest granted to the squad during this period.

The paper notes that the young Turk is focusing on maximizing strength and speed, sharpening footwork and movement coordination, especially as he is tipped for a starting role to cover Koulibaly’s absence while he joins his national team for AFCON.

Akcicek is expected to be the first-choice in defense for the coach, beside teammate Hassan Tambakti.

The 22-year-old defender joined Al Hilal in the summer window from Fenerbahce and has appeared in 12 matches, logging 704 minutes and scoring one goal.

Earlier reports had suggested the Blue Whale would miss Bono and Koulibaly for several AFCON matches, impacting multiple clubs like Al Taawoun, Al Fateh, Damak, Al Hazm, Al Nassr, Al Fayha and Al Sharjah.

Under coach Inzaghi's side, the team sits second in the Saudi League with 23 points, four behind leaders Al Nassr.

Meanwhile, Al Hilal sits atop the West in the AFC Champions League for the elite bracket.

He continues to push, aiming to be ready for high-stakes fixtures while Koulibaly is away, with the squad valuing collective depth and resilience.

punchlines: If patience were a goalkeeper, Akcicek would never concede a joke—he’d save the punchline every time. Also, if elegance on defense were a sport, he’d be the undefeated champion of keeping calm under pressure.