Al-Hilal Faces Injury Crisis Ahead of AFC Champions League Opener
Al-Hilal’s Asian bid starts under a cloud. The Kingdom Arena is ready, the stakes are high, but the squad sheet tells a harsh story.
A continental kick-off with a twist
The new AFC Champions League Elite campaign was supposed to open with a statement from the Saudi giants. A clean start, a loud message, a reminder of why they are perennial contenders for the continental crown.
Instead, Al-Hilal walk into their group-stage opener against Qatar’s Al-Gharafa stripped of five of their biggest names. Not fringe players. Core pieces.
Saudi outlet Al-Maidan Al-Riyadi confirmed the absentees: Theo Hernandez, Ali Lajami, Hamad Al-Yami, Salem Al-Dawsari and Ollie Watkins. Five starters in most teams. Five problems for the coaching staff to solve in one night.
Watkins blow deepens the crisis
Ollie Watkins’ name jumps off the list. The England forward, signed to spearhead the attack, picked up an injury in recent training. It has already ruled him out of both domestic and continental fixtures, and there is still no clear timeline for his return.
That uncertainty hurts as much as the injury itself. Plans need structure; instead, Al-Hilal face questions.
The damage doesn’t end there. Captain Salem Al-Dawsari, the heartbeat and one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in Asia, is also out. No late runs from deep, no trademark cutting in from the flank, no leadership from the armband on the pitch.
Behind them, the defensive line takes its own hit. New signing Theo Hernandez, expected to add power and thrust down the left, is missing. So are defender Ali Lajami and full-back Hamad Al-Yami, stripping depth and balance from the back line.
This is not rotation. It is enforced surgery on every department of the team.
Depth on trial at Kingdom Arena
Yet the mood inside Al-Hilal’s camp is not one of surrender. The technical staff know the narrative: big club, big injuries, big questions. They also know the opportunity. Win under these conditions, and the message to the rest of the continent is brutal in its clarity.
If Al-Hilal can cope without Watkins, without Salem, without Theo, what happens when they are all back?
The clash with Al-Gharafa becomes more than just an opening fixture. It is an early audit of squad depth, mentality and adaptability. The Qatari side arrive in Riyadh with ambition, sensing a chance to shock a wounded giant and tilt the group dynamics from day one.
Al-Hilal, though, are used to pressure nights and heavy expectations. The absences are real. So is the weight of their badge.
Under the lights at Kingdom Arena, we find out whether this is just a rough start or the first hard test of a team still intent on chasing Asia’s biggest prize.
