Nunez and Savic poised to return as Al Hilal eye AFC Elite clash with Al-Gharafa

Return looming for Nunez and Savic ahead of AFC Elite clash

Saudi outlets on Saturday highlighted the stances of Darwin Nunez, the Uruguayan striker, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, the Serbian midfielder and stars of Al Hilal, regarding their involvement in the upcoming AFC Champions League Elite match against Al-Gharafa.

Al Hilal will travel to Doha to face Al-Gharafa on Monday, at Thani bin Jassim Stadium, in the fourth round of the group stage of the AFC Champions League Elite.

According to the Saudi daily Al-Yom, Nunez and Savic are set to return to the Hilal lineup for the Al-Gharafa game after missing the 1-0 league victory over Al-Shabab on Friday at King Abdullah Arena in Round 7 of the Saudi Pro League.

Al Hilal released an official statement on X last Thursday confirming that Savic sustained a shin bruise and was in the club’s medical clinic, not taking part in full training.

The statement added that Nunez suffered a knee injury with pain that kept him out of training.

Neither player took part in the club’s Thursday training session, which kept them absent from the Riyadh derby against Al-Shabab.

New absence

The Shabab game was Nunez’s fourth match missed since joining from Liverpool in the summer transfer window.

Before Shabab, the Uruguayan forward missed the Al-Akhwfod match on Sept 25 in Round 4 of the Saudi Pro League, and the clash with Nasaf in the AFC Elite on Sept 29.

He also sat out the King Cup round 32 match against Al-Adalah on Sept 22.

Fans had raised objections to Nunez’s move to Al Hilal over the summer due to his frequent missed chances, and injuries have only deepened those concerns.

Despite possessing all the attributes of a complete striker, his goal tally remains below the expectations of the club’s supporters.

Since the start of the season, Nunez has appeared in eight matches across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing two assists.

Savic renewal and value

In contrast, Savic is set for his first Asian competition after renewing his contract with the club until 2028, as announced by the Saudi side last Sunday.

The Serbian star has continued the impressive run he began in 2023, having featured in 106 matches across all competitions, with 31 goals and 27 assists.

Savic commented on the renewal: "From day one I arrived here, I felt something different."

He added: "The fans, the club, the spirit — nothing compares; here every victory has a unique taste, and our ambition never stops."

"I’ve had my best moments here, and the bond with this club is bigger than a contract. I stay because glory isn’t something you simply walk away from."

The Lazio-born midfielder has been a cornerstone of the Hilal setup, a blend of physicality, vision, and decisive playmaking that has made him one of the league’s most influential midfielders.

Savic’s role as a deep-lying playmaker has helped connect defense to attack, with his precise passing and spatial awareness enabling him to create chances and contribute goals as well.

Return of Cancelo and injury notes

The upcoming match vs Al-Gharafa will also see the return of Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo, with the club confirming his return to full-team training last week after a spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Cancelo picked up the injury in the September 19 match against Al Duhail, the opening round of the Elite phase, which ended in a 2-1 win for the leaders.

On Sept 21, the club announced that Cancelo would undergo an eight-week rehabilitation program, which forced the side to lean on alternatives domestically and in the squad roster.

That situation troubled Cancelo, who posted cryptic messages on social media before later apologizing to the club and promising to be in the squad in January.

Avoiding a long lay-off

The injury kept him out of the King Cup clash with Al-Enten? and the league’s eighth and ninth rounds due to not being registered domestically, with Marcus Leonardo stepping in during that period.

Cancelo is expected to end the hiatus when he features for Al Hilal against Al-Gharafa on November 3 in the Elite group stage. He could otherwise miss some league fixtures (Najmah and Al-Fateh in rounds eight and nine) while the club resolves domestic registration issues, before returning against Al-Shorta of Iraq in the fifth Elite round on November 25.

In the meantime, the club continues to manage the squad carefully as it balances injuries, European-calibre aspirations, and domestic demands, all while hunting for consistency in a season defined by high expectations and tight schedules.

Punchline 1: If scoring were a sniper’s job, Nunez would be a sharpshooter—just with a few targets moving faster than his camera-zoom reflexes.

Punchline 2: And remember, in football as in comedy, timing is everything: sometimes the goal line is a moving target, and sometimes the crowd is the one pointing and laughing when you miss.