Franck Kessié suffers injury in Al-Ahli’s win over Al-Fateh SC

Franck Kessié has suffered an injury setback while in action for Al-Ahli Saudi FC in their clash against Al-Fateh SC.

The Ivorian star was honoured with the Best Player award for the AFC Champions League Elite triumph, which Al-Ahli secured with a dramatic victory over Machida Zelvia.

Kessié received the accolade ahead of the rescheduled Saudi Roshan League fixture, marking a high point in what has been a standout campaign.

However, the celebration quickly gave way to concern, as Kessié was unable to complete the match against Al-Fateh, exiting midway through the first half due to injury and being replaced by Matheus Gonçalves.

Al-Ahli’s continental success came after a hard-fought 1-0 win following extra time in the final held in Jeddah, securing back-to-back titles and adding another trophy to Saudi Arabia’s growing dominance in Asian club football.

Kessié’s influence throughout the tournament proved decisive. He featured prominently in nine of the team’s matches, scoring three goals, including a crucial equaliser in the quarter-final against Johor Darul Ta’zim. He also played a key role in the final, providing the assist that led to the winning goal.

His consistent performances saw him emerge ahead of notable contenders for the individual award, including Galeno, Yuki Soma, Rafael Mojica, and Yoshinori Muto.

While his latest honour underlines his importance to Al-Ahli, the injury concern will now be closely monitored as the club looks to maintain momentum both domestically and on the continental stage.