Kalidou Koulibaly is set to return to action for Al-Hilal after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained against Pakhtakor in the AFC Champions League.
The Senegalese defender is expected to be available for selection in the Saudi Pro League match against Al-Taawoun.
Al-Hilal manager Jorge Jesus received confirmation on Friday that Koulibaly had resumed full training, boosting the club’s defensive options ahead of the league encounter.
The news is particularly significant as fellow central defender Ali Al-Bulaihi remains unavailable.
Senegal star back in training
The 32-year-old centre-back, who has 83 international caps for Senegal, returned to full training with his teammates and is in contention for the squad traveling to Buraydah.
Koulibaly’s presence is expected to strengthen Al-Hilal’s defensive line as they aim to close the gap on league leaders Al-Ittihad.
Since joining Al-Hilal from Chelsea, Koulibaly has been a key figure in the club’s backline, and his return will provide a timely boost as they continue their push for the league title.
Aleksandar Mitrović undergoing final tests
Meanwhile, Aleksandar Mitrović remains a doubt for the upcoming match.
The Serbian striker’s condition is being closely monitored after he suffered a health scare earlier this week.
However, optimism remains that he could be fit in time for the game.
Mitrović, who missed Al-Ahli’s 2-0 win over Al-Feiha in Matchweek 24, took part in portions of Thursday’s training session.
His availability for the match against Al-Taawoun will depend on the outcome of final medical tests scheduled for Friday evening.
The forward was also absent from Al-Hilal’s 3-0 victory over Pakhtakor in the AFC Champions League Round of 16, but club medical staff remain hopeful that he will recover in time to contribute to the upcoming fixture.
