Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad prepare for Saudi league clash

Al-Hilal enters a high-stakes Roshen Saudi League fixture, holding an 18-point total after seven matches at Kingdom Arena.

Injured Al-Hilal Players Return to the Squad

Al-Hilal welcomes back French defender Theo Hernandez and Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after both players completed their recoveries from injury. Team captain Salem Al-Dawsari is also ready to return after recovering from a knee injury that required surgery following the 2026 World Cup, causing the 34-year-old to miss matches for both Al-Hilal and the Saudi national team at the Gulf Cup.

The returning players include goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais, Mohammed Kanno, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Moteb Al-Harbi, Hassan Tambakti, Mohammed Mahzri, and Sultan Mandash.

Khaled Al-Turais May Referee the Classico

Saudi referee Khaled Al-Turais is a primary candidate to manage the classico if an overseas refereeing crew cannot arrive in time. Al-Turais, born in April 1987 and a FIFA international referee since 2016, previously officiated the Saudi Super Cup final between Al-Hilal and Al Ittihad in April 2024.

Circulated statistics show that Al-Turais has managed 234 matches, during which he issued 814 yellow cards and 39 red cards while awarding 97 penalties, reinforcing his presence among the Saudi names put forward to handle major matches. Al-Turais began his refereeing career in 2008, refereed his first professional league match in 2014, and joined the Asian Football Confederation elite referee list, in addition to participating in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, the Under-17 World Cup in the same year, and the Under-20 World Cup in 2025.

Al Ittihad Trails Al-Hilal by One Point

Al Ittihad stands as the only undefeated side in the league this season, though two draws have left them trailing Al-Hilal by a single point. Al-Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi scheduled a pre-match press conference at the Al-Majdiah Sports Center at 6:00 PM local time on October 10, 2026, to discuss the tactical setup for the fixture.

Al-Hilal’s lone defeat this season came at home against Neom by a 2-0 scoreline, while their last league meeting with Al Ittihad ended in a 1-1 draw in February 2026 after Al-Hilal won the away leg 2-0.