Al Hilal's week ended on a low note as they fell 3-1 to Qatari side Al-Shamal in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday, a result that exposed the squad's growing physical toll. Goals from Wesley Said, Baghdad Bounedjah and Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan put the Riyadh club to the sword, with Salem Al-Dawsari providing only brief consolation. The defeat leaves Al Hilal fifth in the Elite's West group standings, just one point ahead of Al-Shamal.

The result is harder to absorb given the circumstances Simone Inzaghi's side are operating under. Midfielder Ruben Neves had already sounded the alarm after the Saudi Pro League win over Al-Qadsiah last Friday, revealing the squad spent 25 hours travelling by bus due to airport closures caused by Houthi attacks on the region. Neves also criticised the Asian Football Confederation directly, accusing it of ignoring player welfare after it rejected Al Hilal's request to postpone their match against Al-Sadd while later agreeing to reschedule Al Nassr's fixture against Al-Wasl. The club's management has expressed clear frustration at what it sees as an inconsistent application of the rules.

Domestically, the picture is brighter. Al Hilal top the Saudi Pro League with 27 points from ten matches, two clear of Al Nassr. They host Al Fateh next on October 31, a fixture that offers a chance to steady momentum before the continental schedule intensifies further.