Inzaghi takes full foreign contingent to Al-Hilal’s Al Qadsiah showdown

Simone Inzaghi will take all 11 of Al-Hilal’s foreign players to face Al Qadsiah on Friday, despite Saudi Pro League rules limiting each matchday squad to eight overseas players.

Al-Hilal travel to Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam for one of the biggest fixtures of the 11th round of the Saudi Pro League. The Italian manager will name only eight foreign players in his squad for the match, with the remaining members of the travelling group unable to feature.

The decision is linked to Al-Hilal’s schedule immediately after the league fixture. The squad will travel overland from Dammam to Doha in Qatar following the match, ahead of Monday’s AFC Champions League Elite meeting with Al-Shamal.

Unlike the Saudi Pro League, the Asian competition does not impose a maximum number of foreign players that can be included in a team’s squad. Inzaghi will therefore be able to add the foreign players left out against Al Qadsiah when Al-Hilal face the Qatari side.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah, the team will depart for Dammam by road on Thursday evening with all 11 overseas players. The arrangement allows the squad to continue directly to Qatar rather than return elsewhere before the next fixture.

Inzaghi is also expected to make several changes to his starting line-up against Al-Shamal. The rotation is intended to rest some of his key players after the demanding domestic match and ensure that the squad is managed across both competitions.

Friday’s meeting is a contest between the top two teams in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Hilal are second in the table with 24 points, one behind leaders Al Qadsiah, who have played one more match.

Al-Hilal have made a perfect start to their AFC Champions League Elite campaign, winning their opening two matches. They are third in the West Region standings with six points, level on points with Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates and Esteghlal of Iran, but behind both on goal difference.