Absences Spark a Tactical Shake-Up as Al Hilal Host Al Khaleej in Saudi Pro League

Absences Drive a Tactical Shuffle for Al Hilal

Al Hilal will miss a number of their stars ahead of Friday’s Saudi Pro League meeting with Al Khaleej at the Kingdom Arena. The clash, part of round 11, tests the depth of a squad adjusting to a busy calendar.

According to the Saudi daily Today, Kalidou Koulibaly and Yassine Bounou are out due to AFCON commitments, while Joao Cancelo has not been registered in the current domestic squad, and Nasser Al-Dosri is also unavailable. These absences open space for a reassessment of the lineup and roles within the team.

Conversely, Hamad Al-Yami is fit again and expected to reclaim his place, giving the defense a familiar spine after the layoff, which is timely as the team plots a competitive response.

Italian coach Simone Inzaghi will leverage the opportunity to reshuffle the backline and the starting setup. The keeper slot is likely to be filled by Mohammed Al-Rubai, with Hamad Al-Yami and Youssef Akchtsitchik anchoring the defensive line alongside Hassan Tambakti and Theo Hernandez.

Predicted starting XI for Al Hilal:

Goalkeeper: Mohammed Al-Rubai.

Defense: Hamad Al-Yami, Youssef Akchtsitchik, Hassan Tambakti, Theo Hernandez.

Midfield: Robin Neves, Sergi Savic, Mohammed Kanno.

Attack: Salem Al-Dosri, Malcolm Filipe, Marcus Leonardo.

Note: This setup signals a cautious, yet ambitious approach intended to control the middle of the park and feed the pace on the flanks.

Kick-off is scheduled for December 26, 2025, at 18:30 local time, with the Saudi Pro League spotlight trained on a side eager to respond to the jury’s verdict of the week’s absences. Inzaghi’s task is clear: translate missing stars into a blueprint that punches above the weight of the XI available.

Punchline time: If tactics were bullets, Inzaghi just loaded a whole magazine. And if goals were headshots, Hilal’s revamped lineup is aiming for a few this Friday.