Locals Lead the Charge: Inzaghi Bets on Saudi Talent in Riyadh Derby

Riyadh Derby: Local Talent Leads the Charge as Inzaghi Sides with Saudis

Italian manager Simone Inzaghi continues to lean on Saudi players for Al Hilal, even as the squad features a significant foreign contingent. The balance between local grit and international quality is on display ahead of the Riyadh derby against Al Nassr.

The match is played at the Kingdom Arena, in Round 15 of the Saudi Pro League, with both teams chasing the league title and local bragging rights in the capital.

Inzaghi opted for a Saudi-heavy starting XI, naming six Saudi players: Mohammed Al-Rubaie, Hassan Tembakti, Meteb Al-Harbi, Hamad Al-Yami, Nasser Al-Dosri, and Salman Al-Dosri, supported by five foreign players.

This approach is not new for the Italian coach; he used a similar strategy in the previous game against Al Hazm in Round 14, continuing his trend of prioritizing domestic players in a high-stakes derby.

Al Hilal's foreign squad remains substantial, even with a domestic tilt: the roster includes 13 foreign players, with goalkeepers Yassine Bounou and Matteo Batouillet; defenders Pablo Mari and Kalidou Koulibaly; and Turkish defender Yusuf Akçičiḡik. The wings feature Joao Cancelo and Theo Hernandez, while the midfield includes Serge Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves, and the attack features Malcolm, Kai Cesar, Marcus Leonardo, and Darwin Nunez.

For the derby, Hernandez, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic, Malcolm and Nunez were named in the starting lineup, while Mari, Cancelo, Marcus Leonardo and other foreigners started on the bench. Notably, Bono and Koulibaly miss AFCON 2025 duty, Cancelo is not registered locally and could be on his way out, and Matteo Batouillet and Kai Cesar are out for technical reasons.

In short, a big test awaits in Riyadh as local talents mix with elite internationals, and the tactical balance from Inzaghi will be watched closely by fans and pundits alike.

Punchline 1: If football had frequent flyer miles, the locals would be on a nonstop flight to the trophy.

Punchline 2: In this derby, the bench steals the show—more drama on the substitutes than in some full matches.