Al Hilal's Ghost of the Past: Inzaghi Chased by a Recurring Crisis
6 November 2025
Recurring Crisis
Under Italian coach Simone Inzaghi, Al Hilal have posted a string of solid results this season, including a 2-0 win over Al Gharafa in the AFC Champions League Elite. A nine-match winning run hints at a title bid across the season, and Inzaghi seems keen to prove the move to Saudi football was worth it by chasing trophies from the first season, a target that makes his predecessor Jorge Jesus's achievements look almost quaint. Yet a shadow lingers: the team’s form often fades after the break, with second-half slumps erasing early advantages, even when the wins come with risk.
Past Nightmare
The pattern echoes Inzaghi’s recent tenure at Inter Milan, where late-season drops cost the Scudetto and left European campaigns uncertain. Inter even pushed Barcelona to the wire in a marathon 4-3 encounter, and the aggregate situation highlighted that endurance would decide the path to finals. Inzaghi’s side then faced a heavy final, reportedly losing 5-0 to PSG, and a domestic cup exit to AC Milan. If there was ever a warning, this was it: fixture congestion and fatigue are not strangers to him. The Saudi schedule—with the Asia Champions League and domestic cups in play—offers little relief, and the clock keeps ticking.
Underutilized Rest
Before the season, Al Hilal reportedly declined a Saudi Super Cup appearance at Inzaghi’s urging, hoping to spare the squad from a fatigue spike after a Club World Cup run that included matches against Real Madrid and Manchester City. Since then, the team has battled a spate of injuries—Cancelo, Malcolm, Salem Al-Dawsari, Ali Al-Lajami, Hassan Tembakti, Hamid Al-Yami, Darwin Nunez and Sergej Savic among others—making rotation difficult as December through February promises a relentless schedule across league, cup and elite Asian competition. The recurring refrain persists: the team starts fast but struggles to sustain the pace. If the second half keeps dipping, even a trophy-laden stretch may be overshadowed by questions about rotation, recovery, and calendar balance.
As Al Hilal push deeper in domestic cups and aim for the league crown, the same tests loom: a demanding December, January and February with two or three matches per week in some windows. The coming lineup includes matches against Fath, Iraq’s Al Shorta, and regional derbies, then trips to the UAE and beyond. The pressure is not going anywhere, and neither is the question of whether the squad’s depth can keep up.
In short, the coaching staff must manage a squad that bears heavy physical demand, while the public clamors for the trophies that would silence doubters. A team that once dazzled with intensity now faces the practical challenge of sustaining it week after week, with the calendar acting as both a guide and a gauntlet.
