English Premier League
Salem Al-Dawsari steps up recovery ahead of Al Hilal’s Al Ittihad showdown
Al Hilal captain Salem Al-Dawsari has increased his hopes of featuring in Saturday’s Saudi Clasico against Al Ittihad after returning to part of first-team training.
The Saudi Arabia captain took part in the opening section of Al Hilal’s main training session on Wednesday before continuing with an individual rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the club’s medical staff.
His involvement represents a positive development for Al Hilal as they prepare for the Roshn Saudi League meeting, and suggests Al-Dawsari is moving closer to full fitness. His availability for the match has not been confirmed, but the latest progress improves his chances of being included in the squad.
Al Hilal are also monitoring the recoveries of Hamed Al-Yami and French international Theo Hernandez. Both players completed ball-based fitness exercises as they reached the final stages of their respective rehabilitation programmes.
Their return to training provides Al Hilal’s coaching staff with additional options before one of the most important fixtures of the season. However, neither player’s participation against Al Ittihad has been confirmed.
The league leaders will host their traditional rivals at 21:00 on Saturday, 10 October, in the eighth round of the Roshn Saudi League.
Al Hilal go into the fixture at the top of the table with 18 points, while Al Ittihad are second on 17 points from seven matches. The visitors are one point ahead of both Al Nassr and Al Qadsiah, who occupy third and fourth place respectively.
The narrow gap between the leading teams adds further importance to the meeting. A win for either side would have a direct impact on the top of the standings, with Al Hilal seeking to protect their position and Al Ittihad aiming to overtake them.
The latest training session therefore offered encouragement to Al Hilal ahead of the encounter, particularly through Al-Dawsari’s partial return to group work. The captain will continue his rehabilitation before a final decision is made on whether he can take part in the Clasico.