Hassan Tambakti Returns to Training for Al-Hilal

Al-Hilal have just received the kind of news a title-chasing team craves in the business end of a season: Hassan Tambakti is back on the grass.

The Saudi international defender returned to training today, taking part in the first phase of the session and handing Simone Inzaghi a badly needed lift as the schedule tightens and the pressure rises. It was not a full session, not yet, but it was the first real step back toward the heart of Al-Hilal’s defence.

Tambakti has been out for weeks after picking up an injury while on duty with the Saudi national team during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The problem forced him into a spell of treatment and a carefully managed rehabilitation programme, all geared toward restoring his physical power and his sharpness in the defensive details that usually set him apart.

Today brought a clear shift. The centre-back completed the opening phase of the workout with his teammates, a strong signal that his full integration into group training is close. The staff will not rush him: his return to official matches will depend on how quickly he hits full fitness and on Inzaghi’s assessment of when he is truly ready to withstand the intensity of competitive minutes.

The need is obvious. Al-Hilal have looked vulnerable at the back in recent weeks. Spaces have appeared through the middle, communication has wavered, and several defenders have dipped below their usual level. For a club chasing trophies on multiple fronts, that kind of fragility is a warning light.

Kalidou Koulibaly’s struggle for top form has only sharpened the focus on the centre of defence. Inzaghi requires reliability and clarity in that zone, a platform he can trust when matches turn frantic. Tambakti’s return offers exactly that: a defender strong in cover, aggressive and clean in duels, and sharp in reading danger before it explodes.

Inside the club, his value goes beyond tackles and interceptions. Tambakti brings big-match experience and a proven ability to handle nights when concentration cannot drop for a second. Those are the fixtures now lining up on Al-Hilal’s horizon, the kind that define seasons and reputations.

So his presence on the training pitch is more than a medical update. It is a sign that Inzaghi may soon be able to reshape his backline with a key piece restored, giving “the Boss” a better chance of finding the defensive solidity and balance that have been missing.

The toughest games are coming. Tambakti’s full return might be the difference between a nervous run-in and a defence that stands firm when it matters most.