Al Hilal's season has hit a turbulent stretch after a 3-1 defeat to Qatari side Al-Shamal in the AFC Champions League Elite, as reported by Goal. It was the club's second loss of the 2026-27 campaign, following an earlier Saudi Pro League defeat to Neyom, and it has intensified scrutiny on coach Simone Inzaghi's squad management decisions. Inzaghi rotated heavily for the match, and while some analysts defended the approach given the fixture congestion, former players including Sami Al-Jaber argued the degree of rotation was excessive and hurt the team's cohesion on the night, according to Goal's coverage.

The fatigue issue runs deeper than one result. Midfielder Ruben Neves had already warned after the win over Al-Qadsiah that players were exhausted from travelling by bus for up to 25 hours due to airport closures caused by Houthi attacks, and he publicly criticised the Asian Football Confederation for refusing to postpone Al Hilal's continental fixtures while granting Al Nassr a postponement in similar circumstances, as Goal reported. That perceived inconsistency left the club's management feeling aggrieved.

Despite the continental setback, Al Hilal remain top of the Saudi Pro League with 27 points from 10 games, one clear of Al Nassr, per the latest standings data. The next challenge is a home league fixture against Al Fateh on October 31, a game that offers the squad a chance to refocus on the domestic title.