Al Hilal foreign players are the talking point before Friday’s trip to Al-Qadsiah. Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah reports that Simone Inzaghi is taking all 11 of them to Dammam, even though only eight can be named in a Roshn League matchday squad. The paper cites a private source, so this is local reporting and not a club announcement.
Why Al Hilal foreign players are all travelling
Al-Riyadiyah’s Abd Elilah Al-Marhoum says Inzaghi has put every foreign player in the party for the round-11 game at the Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium. League rules cap each side at eight foreign players in the squad. Three of the 11 will therefore sit out against Al-Qadsiah.
Goal’s English edition calls this a breach of the regulations. The original report says something different. It says 11 are travelling, not that 11 will be named. The reason is the calendar. The team will go on from Dammam to Doha straight after the match, ready for Monday’s AFC Champions League Elite game against Al-Shamal at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. Goal notes there is no cap on foreign players in that competition.
Rotation and the plan for Al-Shamal
The same source says Inzaghi will rotate for the Al-Shamal game and rest some key men. That is where the extra foreign players should come in. Ali Lajami, who returned to training last week after a muscle injury, is due back in the side.
A later Al-Riyadiyah report, by Abdullah Al-Henyan, adds two team-news points. It says the coaching staff will decide on Friday whether Salem Al-Dawsari starts against Al-Qadsiah. It also says Al-Qadsiah defender Nacho is expected to miss the game with a joint problem, pending a final fitness test on Friday. Neither point is confirmed by the clubs, and lineups only become official when they are announced.
The table shows why the match matters. Al-Qadsiah lead with 25 points from ten games. Al Hilal are second on 24 points from nine, with a postponed game against Al-Riyadh still to play. In the Champions League Elite, they have won both of their opening matches.
For the build-up from the training ground, see our Al-Qadsiah vs Al-Hilal preview. Our report on the 1-0 win over Al-Hazem covers the latest result. Our piece on Inzaghi and Watkins’ progress before the Clasico adds squad context.
Sources: Al-Riyadiyah (Abd Elilah Al-Marhoum, 22 October), Inzaghi takes 11 foreigners to Dammam; Al-Riyadiyah (Abdullah Al-Henyan, 22 October), Nacho and Salem team news; and Goal. Not officially confirmed by Al Hilal.
