Bounou Injury Complicates Al-Hilal's Al-Taawoun Trip

Al-Hilal’s week has gone from bad to worse. The shock of defeat to Neom has barely settled, and now Yassine Bounou is on the treatment table.

The Saudi Roshn League leaders head to Buraidah on Saturday to face Al-Taawoun in the seventh round, but they travel with a major doubt hanging over their first-choice goalkeeper. Just 72 hours before that clash, the club confirmed that Bounou missed Wednesday’s collective training session through injury.

Al-Hilal announced via a post on their official X account that the Moroccan international attended the medical clinic at the Al-Majidiyah sports centre after suffering a hamstring injury. The issue, the club clarified, dates back to before the Neom match at Kingdom Arena on Monday in the sixth round of the Roshn League.

He did not start that game. Mohammed Al-Owais stepped in, but Neom still walked away with a clean 2–0 win, exposing a shaky night for the league leaders and snapping their momentum.

Physiotherapy specialist Thamer Al-Shahrani moved quickly to calm fears, stressing that Bounou’s problem is minor and not a cause for alarm. Even so, with the clock ticking towards Saturday, his availability remains in real doubt and leaves Al-Hilal facing an awkward decision in goal.

The timing could hardly be more delicate. Al-Hilal sit top of the Saudi League table with 15 points from five wins and a single defeat, ahead of second-placed Al-Qadsiah only on goal difference. One more slip, and that narrow advantage could vanish in Buraidah.