Al-Hilal vs NEOM SC – News and Probable Lineups

This season, Al Hilal has remained undefeated in the Saudi Pro League, and they are set to host NEOM SC at Kingdom Arena this Saturday for a match on matchday 33 that bears significant title consequences.

With Al Hilal needing nothing short of a victory to maintain their chances of overtaking Al Nassr at the top of the standings, Christophe Galtier’s team travels in search of a strong finish to an impressive debut top-flight season.

Match overview

Tuesday brought more late-game excitement in the Saudi Pro League title battle as Al Nassr faced off against Al Hilal. A 99th-minute own goal by goalkeeper Bento negated Mohamed Simakan’s earlier goal.

If the score had remained, the Knights of Najd would have been crowned Saudi Pro League champions prior to their final match against Damac.

That draw kept Al Hilal’s hopes for the title alive. A victory on Saturday would bring them within two points of Al Nassr, with just one match left, meaning that the Saudi Pro League title could be decided on the final matchday.

Al Hilal has gone the entire league season without a loss, achieving an impressive tally of 78 points through 23 wins and nine draws, with their home record at the Kingdom Arena standing at 12 victories and four draws from 16 matches.

Under Inzaghi’s guidance, the team has won four out of their last five matches in all competitions, which includes their triumph in the King’s Cup against Al Kholood, showcasing the momentum they bring into this critical home match.

In their first encounter this season, Al Hilal took a 2-1 win over NEOM in January, and they will aim to complete the double this time.

Team News

Al Hilal will be missing Kalidou Koulibaly, who suffered a season-ending injury in April, while Hamad Al Yami is also unavailable due to a knee injury.

Yusuf Akcicek may return to the starting XI in defence after being a substitute against Al Nassr, with Hassan Al Tambakti likely to continue alongside him.

Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic are set to join Mohamed Kanno in midfield, with Karim Benzema leading the attack and Malcom providing creativity from the flanks.

NEOM travels to Kingdom Arena without any new injury issues, giving Galtier a full roster to select from.

Ahmed Hegazi and Nathan Zeze are anticipated to maintain their positions in central defence, while Amadou Kone and Alaa Hejji are expected to operate in midfield.

Said Benrahma, who netted two penalties in their last game, is likely to guide the attack in partnership with Alexandre Lacazette.

Al-Hilal probable starting XI:

Bounou; Hernandez, Tambakti, Akcicek, Al-Harbi; Al Dawsari, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic, Kanno; Benzema, Malcom

NEOM SC probable starting XI:

Bulk; Abdi, Zezeh, Hegazi, Al-Dawsari; Rodriguez, Cone, Hajji, Al-Oyayari; Lacazette, Benrahma

Al Hilal has maintained an unblemished record throughout the Saudi Pro League season, and with the title still attainable, Inzaghi’s squad views this as a crucial fixture.

NEOM has secured just one victory in their last five away games in the league, and having already fallen to Al Hilal this season, Galtier’s team faces a considerable challenge against an opponent that has gone 32 league matches without a loss.