Al-Hilal vs Al-Taawoun – News and Probable Lineups

Al-Hilal is set to welcome Al-Taawoun at the Kingdom Arena this Saturday for the 27th round of the Roshen League.

The hosts are in excellent form and are positioned just three points behind Al-Nassr, who currently lead the table, while the visitors face a challenge to secure a spot in the Champions League, trailing third-placed Al-Ahli by 17 points.

Match overview

Al-Hilal remains the only team in the Saudi Pro League that is yet to face defeat this season, continuing their strong performance throughout the 2025-26 campaign with 19 wins and seven draws from 26 matches.

The Blue Waves have ended up in draws in two of their last six matches but managed to secure four victories during this period, maintaining a solid performance overall.

Simone Inzaghi’s team has also displayed strong results at home, amassing 33 points to sit level with the leaders Al-Nassr, scoring 30 goals and conceding only nine, with the latter stat being second-best in the league.

Before the international break, Al-Hilal played against Al-Fateh, where Sergej Milinkovic-Savic netted the sole goal just after the restart in the 48th minute.

Prior to the hard-fought win over Al-Fateh, Al-Hilal secured a 4-0 victory against Al-Najma, with Karim Benzema scoring twice alongside goals from Malcom and Milinkovic-Savic.

The Blue Waves also triumphed over Al-Ahli 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw, advancing to the final of the Saudi King Cup, where they will take on Al Kholood after the league strugglers surprisingly eliminated Al-Nassr in a 5-4 shootout victory.

Al-Taawoun, on the other hand, has seen a good campaign but their aspirations for continental football have been hampered by inconsistent performances in 2026, currently sitting fifth in the standings, 15 points shy of the fourth-placed Al-Qadsiah.

With 13 wins from 26 matches, the Sukkari Al-Qassim face another tough challenge away from home as they have struggled in their recent fixtures.

Before the international break, the visitors faced Neom SC, and they were on the verge of leaving the King Khalid Sport City Stadium without a point until substitute Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi scored an equalizer in the 93rd minute, ensuring a 2-2 draw.

Al-Taawoun does possess the best attacking and defensive records outside the top four, having netted 47 goals while conceding 33 in the current season.

In their 37 meetings, Al-Hilal has claimed victory in 28 matches, Al-Taawoun has won four times, with five games ending in draws, including their latest clash which ended 1-1.

Team News

Al-Hilal has seen the return of Hassan Tambakti and Mutaib Al-Harbi to group training after completing their rehabilitation from injuries sustained during international duty in Arábia Saudita’s March training camp.

However, Kalidou Koulibaly and Mohamed Kanno are currently unavailable due to front thigh muscle pain and are still under medical care at the club.

French player Simon Boubari is also anticipated to be absent after suffering an ankle injury while on international duty, requiring a brief rehabilitation period based on medical assessments.

Salem Al-Dawsari is set to miss out on this match due to a knee issue sustained against Al-Ahli in the King’s Cup, while Sultan Mandash, Hamad Al-Yami, and Youssef Akchichek will also be unavailable due to injuries.

The hosts also have to consider the absence of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who is suspended following an accumulation of yellow cards.

For Al-Taawoun, Musa Barrow will not feature due to a torn lateral knee ligament, and Muteb Al-Mufarrij is also out with injury.

The trio of Victor Hugo, Mishal Al-Alaeli, and Roger Martinez are all one booking away from suspension as they head into this encounter.

Al-Hilal probable starting XI:

Bounou; Al-Harbi, Lajami, Tambakti, Hernandez; Neves, Hawsawi, Malcom; Leonardo, Darisi, Benzema

Al-Taawoun probable starting XI:

Mailson; Mahzri, Girotto, Lajami, Al-Alaeli; Flavius, The Mahdioui; Petkov, Biel, Fulgini; Martinez

The Blue Waves enter Saturday’s fixture as strong favorites given their unbeaten record in the Saudi top flight this season, although they will need to perform at peak levels to secure the win.

The Wolves travel to Riyadh without a victory in their last five away games and will need to significantly improve to prevent another setback, which leads us to anticipate that Al-Hilal will secure all three points.