Al Hilal have been handed a lift 24 hours before their tricky trip to Doha. One of their most prominent names is closing in on a return after a long absence, and that could solve a pressing tactical problem for Simone Inzaghi with fixtures piling up.
The club confirmed on Monday that full-back Hamad Al-Yami joined the first portion of group training, before switching to his individual rehabilitation programme. The player is now in the final stages of his recovery.
Renowned doctor Lasse Lempainen carried out delicate surgery on Al-Yami's patellar tendon in Finland last March. The operation was a success, and the defender then started his lengthy rehab.
He has not featured for Al Hilal since, a spell in which the full-back positions have come under considerable pressure.
Inzaghi's awaited card
Inzaghi wants the player available as soon as possible to widen his tactical options, with a relentless run of domestic and continental fixtures ahead.
A gradual return hands the Italian another solution in defence, and it arrives just as the decisive matches begin.
First, though, comes a tough one. Al Hilal face hosts Al Sadd of Qatar on Tuesday at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, in the second round of the league phase in the West region of the AFC Champions League Elite for the 2026-2027 season.
A positive result in Qatar would strengthen their standing in the group, and the news from the medical clinic has given them something to build on.