Al-Hilal coach Joseph Zinnbauer has dropped four players from the first-team squad ahead of the Sudanese club’s African Champions League meeting with Ethiopia’s Sidama Buna.
Mohamed Abdullah, Suleiman Ezzallah, Khater Awad and Ahmed Kenan have been moved to the reserve team as Zinnbauer prepares his side for the second preliminary round encounter.
The decision comes before Al-Hilal travel to Ethiopia on Friday, 16 October, for the first leg against Sidama Buna, scheduled for Sunday, 18 October, at Dere Dawa Stadium.
The changes follow earlier reports by WinWin that the German coach was considering adjustments to his squad. Zinnbauer is also expected to promote other players from the reserve team to the senior side after the two matches against the Ethiopian club.
Al-Hilal have completed their preparations for the trip, with the team aiming to progress to the group stage of the African Champions League for the 10th consecutive time.
Zinnbauer reshapes squad ahead of continental test
The decision to demote the four players signals Zinnbauer’s intention to make changes as Al-Hilal prepare for a demanding away fixture.
The coach will look to guide the team past Sidama Buna and keep their hopes of another appearance in the competition’s group stage on course.
Al-Hilal’s players, led by captain Mohamed Abdel Rahman, are targeting a positive result in Ethiopia before the return leg. The Sudanese side will seek to use their experience and technical quality to overcome their opponents across the two matches.
The club has also set its sights on reaching the semi-finals as an immediate target, while winning the continental title by 2028 remains a longer-term ambition.
Progress through the preliminary rounds will be essential if Al-Hilal are to maintain their record of reaching the group stage in successive editions of the competition.
Al-Hilal pursue final transfer business
Away from preparations for the Sidama Buna tie, Al-Hilal’s management is working to complete its remaining transfer business before the summer transfer window closes.
The club is seeking to recruit a professional striker to strengthen its attacking options for the campaign.
Sources cited in the report indicated that the board, led by president Hisham Al-Subat, was putting the finishing touches to the proposed deal.
No further details about the prospective striker, including his identity or the terms of a potential agreement, were provided.
The transfer activity forms part of the club’s efforts to build a squad capable of competing in domestic and continental competitions, with the African Champions League remaining a major priority.
Meanwhile, the club has completed arrangements for the delegation’s journey to Ethiopia, allowing attention to turn to Sunday’s first-leg encounter.
Group-stage qualification remains the immediate target
Al-Hilal will travel to face Sidama Buna with the aim of taking a significant step towards qualification for the Champions League group stage.
The Sudanese club are optimistic about their chances, pointing to their experience and technical capabilities as factors that could help them progress.
However, they must first negotiate the two-legged tie against the Ethiopian side, beginning with Sunday’s meeting at Dere Dawa Stadium.
Zinnbauer’s squad decisions and the club’s continuing transfer plans underline the importance Al-Hilal have placed on strengthening their position ahead of the continental campaign.
The immediate focus remains on securing progression to the group stage for the 10th successive season, while the club’s wider ambition is to challenge for the African title by 2028.
