Because of the Saudi national team: will a Gulf 27 star miss the match against Al-Ittihad?

A surprise absence

A star of the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27" is now a doubt for Al-Ittihad's Roshn League clash, and the Saudi national team are to blame.

Al-Shabab confirmed the news in a statement on their official "X" account, revealing that Humam Al-Hamami had suffered a second-degree muscle tear. The player now faces a treatment and rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the club's medical staff.

According to Al-Shabab, Al-Hamami picked up the injury on duty with the Saudi national team at the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27" in recent weeks.

The young Saudi winger will miss Al-Shabab's trip to face Al-Taawoun tomorrow, Sunday, in the capital Riyadh in the eighth round of the Roshn League.

His most costly absence, though, could come next Friday. That's when the capital club travel to Al-Ittihad as guests at the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah for the ninth round of the Roshn League.

Al-Hamami had been central to Saudi Arabia's Gulf triumph, their first in 23 years, so much so that he walked away with the tournament's best player award.