Shock at Al-Hilal: injury strikes Salem Al-Dawsari again before the Clásico

Will the Tornado be absent?

Injury has struck Salem Al-Dawsari once again. The Al-Hilal captain is a doubt just hours before the eagerly awaited Clasico against traditional rivals Al-Ittihad.

Al-Hilal host Al-Ittihad today, Saturday, at the Kingdom Arena in the Saudi capital Riyadh, in the eighth round of the Roshn League.

Less than 24 hours before kick-off, Al-Hilal confirmed Al-Dawsari sat out the squad's group training session on Friday evening, held in preparation for the Clasico.

The "Chief" explained, in a tweet via its official account on "X", that Al-Dawsari visited the medical clinic at the Al-Majidiyah Sports Centre after feeling pain in his foot joint.

The "Tornado" has not featured for Al-Hilal since the start of the current season, having undergone surgery after representing Saudi Arabia at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He had returned to group training last Thursday, and was close to taking part in the Al-Ittihad match, whether as a starter or on the substitutes' bench, according to what his Italian coach Simone Inzaghi revealed.

Now the fresh injury may rule him out of the Clasico altogether, especially as he has yet to play a single minute this season.

Al-Dawsari is not the only concern. Doubts also surround the Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who completed only the first part of Al-Hilal's group training session on Friday evening before switching to his rehabilitation programme.

There was better news elsewhere. Al-Hilal regained the services of the French full-back Theo Hernandez and the Saudi defender Ali Lajami, both of whom took part in Friday evening's session.

The pair had been absent from the "Chief" since the clean 3-0 win over Al-Ahli at the beginning of last September, in the third round of the Roshn League.

Victory in the Clasico would send Al-Hilal back to the top of the Saudi league table. They currently sit third on 18 points, a single point behind Al-Qadsiah and Al-Nassr, who have each played an additional match.