Al-Hilal vs Al Kholood – News and Probable Lineups

Al-Hilal aims to get back to winning ways when they face Al Kholood at Kingdom Arena in the Saudi Pro League this Wednesday.

Currently, the home side holds second place in the standings, trailing leaders Al-Nassr by five points, while Al Kholood finds themselves in 14th position with 26 points from 27 games.

Match overview

Al-Hilal has had a remarkable campaign in the 2025-26 season and remains the only unbeaten team in the league, although this exceptional form may not be enough to clinch the championship.

The Blue Waves have put together an extraordinary unbeaten streak of 42 matches across all competitions, underscoring their dominance. Still, head coach Simone Inzaghi may feel frustrated after witnessing his team settle for a 2-2 draw against Al-Taawoun in their latest fixture.

Recently, a notable trend in their performances is their strong starts, having scored first in eight out of their last nine matches. This included taking the lead through Mohamed Kader Meite in that game.

However, lapses in their defence allowed opponents to overturn the match, until Marcos Leonardo salvaged a point with a late equaliser, maintaining their unbeaten streak.

At home, Al-Hilal has been particularly formidable, securing 34 points from 14 matches in Riyadh. However, with the gap to the top growing, they can ill afford any further mistakes, particularly against a team they have triumphed over in their last three matches against Al Kholood.

Al Kholood currently sits six points above the relegation zone, yet their position remains precarious, as they need to avoid slipping into the survival battle in the later stages of the season.

With several teams positioned lower still capable of finding form, their margin for error is minimal, indicating that each point moving forward could be vital in determining their fate.

On a brighter note, Al Kholood has shown determination on the road this season, amassing 16 points away while netting 20 goals and conceding the same number, indicating they can be competitive beyond their home ground.

However, their overall defensive statistics will raise concerns, having surrendered 50 goals in the Saudi Pro League so far, with only Al Akhdoud and Al Najma allowing more, evidencing their defensive weaknesses.

Head coach Des Buckingham will also be troubled by his squad’s recurring issues with clean sheets, as Al Kholood has failed to prevent goals in their last eight outings and has conceded in each of their past three matches against Al-Hilal.

Team News

Al-Hilal is managing several injury issues ahead of this match, including Karim Benzema, whose availability for the fixture remains uncertain.

On a more positive note for the hosts, Salem Al-Dossari and Sultan Mandash both resumed training on Monday and are likely to be available for selection.

In contrast, Hamad Al-Yami and Youssef Akchichek remain out due to injury, while Darwin Nunez has been taken off the roster and has not participated since February.

For Al Kholood, Abdulmalik Al-Harbi is out for the rest of the season following an ACL injury.

Myziane Maolida and Norbert Gyomber are also anticipated to be unavailable, although Des Buckingham generally has a reasonably fit squad to utilize.

Al-Hilal probable starting XI:

They bounce; Darisi, Lajami, Koulibaly, Hernandez; Kanno, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic; Malcom, Benzema, Leonardo

Al Kholood probable starting XI:

Cozzani; Sawan, Utkus, Philippines, Solan; N’Doram, Buckley, Cortajarena; Al Aliwa, Bahbri, Guga

Al-Hilal will be keen to bounce back from their disappointing draw most recently and should possess the quality needed to achieve another home victory over an underperforming Al Kholood team.

The visitors have demonstrated they can compete on the road and might present a threat, particularly with Al-Hilal having conceded in six of their last eight matches. However, the superior quality and depth of the hosts are expected to be decisive in their pursuit of all three points.