Al-Nassr’s Rakan Al-Ghamdi faces up to six weeks out with knee injury

Al-Nassr will be without 21-year-old midfielder Rakan Al-Ghamdi for between four and six weeks after medical tests confirmed a knee ligament sprain and cartilage bruising.

The injury represents a double setback for the club, affecting both Ange Postecoglou’s first-team squad and Al-Nassr’s Under-21 side, according to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah.

Al-Ghamdi had recently moved closer to contention for regular first-team involvement. The Australia manager gave him his first appearance for the senior side when he introduced him in the second half of Al-Nassr’s opening match in the AFC Champions League Elite against United Arab Emirates club Al Ain.

Al-Nassr lost that match 4-0, but the opportunity marked a significant step for the 21-year-old, who had also continued to feature for the club’s Under-21 team.

The injury occurred during Al-Nassr’s final training session before their meeting with Damac last Friday. That match ended in a 1-0 victory for Al-Nassr in the Joie Elite League.

As a result, Al-Ghamdi will miss an important period for both teams. He had begun to establish himself as a player capable of contributing to the first team while remaining involved with the Under-21 squad, leaving the club without his services at senior and development level for at least a month.

Al-Nassr’s first-team players are expected to return to training on Monday evening after being given time off by the coaching staff following the AFC Champions League Elite fixture.

The club will resume their Roshn Saudi League campaign after the international break against Al-Diriyah on 9 October. The match will be played at Al-Awwal Park and is scheduled as part of the eighth round.

Al-Nassr currently sit third in the Roshn Saudi League table with 16 points, two behind leaders Al-Hilal. Al-Ghamdi’s absence adds to the coaching staff’s selection considerations as the team prepares to continue its domestic campaign.

His recent involvement with the first team had suggested he was beginning to become part of the senior squad’s plans, while his regular role with the Under-21 team had also made him an important option at that level. The club must now manage both absences during a period in which it will be competing across its senior and development teams.