Bounou Injury Complicates Al-Hilal's Al-Taawoun Match Preparation

Al-Hilal’s week has gone from bad to worse. First came the shock defeat to Neom. Now, just days before a tricky trip to Buraidah, they are sweating over Yassine Bounou.

The club confirmed on Wednesday that the Moroccan goalkeeper skipped group training after picking up a hamstring injury, raising doubts about his availability for Saturday’s Saudi Roshn League clash with Al-Taawoun.

The issue dates back to the build-up to the Neom game on Monday at Kingdom Arena. Bounou felt the problem before kick-off and did not feature, leaving Mohammed Al-Owais to start in goal. Al-Hilal went on to suffer a clean 2-0 defeat in the sixth round, a result that jolted a side used to dictating the pace domestically.

On Wednesday, Al-Hilal announced via their official X account that Bounou had reported to the medical clinic at the Al-Majidiyah sports centre, where tests confirmed a hamstring complaint. Physiotherapy specialist Thamer Al-Shahrani described the injury as minor and not a major concern, but the clock is ticking fast towards the seventh-round fixture.

For now, Bounou’s status remains uncertain. Al-Owais may be called upon again if the Moroccan is not cleared in time, a scenario that would test Al-Hilal’s depth in one of the most demanding away fixtures in the league.

Despite the turbulence, Al-Zaeem still sit on top of the Saudi League table, level on 15 points with Al-Qadsiah but ahead on goal difference after five wins and one defeat. The margin is slim. The response in Buraidah, with or without their star goalkeeper, will say plenty about how firmly they intend to stay there.