Kadsh Returns from 111-Day Injury Layoff: Al-Ittihad Beat the Clock with a Silent Comeback
4 October 2025
Kadsh Returns from a 111-Day Injury Layoff
Al-Ittihad’s defender Hassan Kadsh has resumed his duties after a 111‑day layoff caused by a hamstring injury he picked up while with the national team.
Kadsh last featured for Saudi Arabia in the Gold Cup clash against Haiti in the United States, and has since been in rehabilitation as part of his return to peak condition.
Saudi outlet Al-Riyadiya reported that Kadsh has rejoined team training after a lengthy absence, having not been part of the preseason camp or the Saudi Super Cup held in Hong Kong.
During his absence, the coach, Laurent Blanc, leaned on substitutes such as Danilo Pereira, Carlo Simic, Saad Al-Mousa, and Muath Faqih to cover the defensive and midfield gaps.
The 33-year-old Kadsh has played 71 matches for Al-Ittihad, scoring 3 goals and contributing 2 assists in 5,730 minutes, and previously appeared for Al-Ettifaq in 84 games with 1 goal and 6 assists.
With Al-Taawoun he logged the same number of appearances, scoring 5 goals and providing 1 assist, while his stint with Al-Hilal yielded 3 assists in 31 matches overall.
Kadsh’s career has been marked by injuries, with four prior injuries before the latest layoff that sidelined him for 111 days, delaying his first return to the squad this season.
In the 2024-2025 season he missed 75 days due to three injuries, and in 2021-2022 he was out for roughly 247 days, underscoring the endurance challenge he faces as a veteran defender.
New coach rumors circulate as Kadsh returns; Al-Ittihad is reportedly negotiating with several candidates, notably Sergio Conceicao, the former Milan and Porto boss, who is said to have been contacted by the club.
Other names on the table include Luciano Spalletti, the former Italy and Napoli boss, as the team looks to restore a clear identity and stronger discipline after a rocky start.
Al-Ittihad began this campaign with high hopes of challenging for the title but stumbled under French coach Laurent Blanc, dropping points in matches considered routine for a team with star names like Benzema, Fabinho, and Kanté, and failing to assert authority early in the season.
Technical issues were not limited to tactics; reports of locker-room tension between Blanc and Benzema emerged, affecting on-field performance and team harmony. Substitutions in several games drew spectator frustration, as fans felt the team wasn’t being steered properly.
Overall, Blanc’s tenure failed to unlock the squad’s potential, pushing management to consider a change that would restore discipline and maximize the stars’ impact, so the club can stay in the title race rather than drift off the pace.
The Clasico loss to Al Nassr accelerated the coaching change decision, as the Yellow and Black failed to match their rivals’ tempo despite a star-studded lineup, with a late double deficit proving costly.
Punchline time: If comebacks were stand-up, Kadsh would headline the world tour—though the calendar keeps rebooting the same joke. And second punchline: even a veteran defender needs a calendar that respects his routine; apparently, someone pressed snooze on the season start button just for him.
