Al Ittihad face an anxious wait over the fitness of defender Hassan Kadesh before Saturday’s meeting with Al Hilal, despite welcoming back striker George Ilenikhena ahead of the Roshn Saudi League derby.
Al Ittihad travel to Kingdom Arena in Riyadh for the eagerly anticipated fixture, which forms part of the eighth round of the league season. The match brings together the top two sides in the table, with Al Ittihad currently second on 17 points, one behind leaders Al Hilal.
Ilenikhena has recovered from the injury he sustained while on international duty with Nigeria during the most recent international break. The forward returned to Al Ittihad’s group training on Tuesday, confirming that he had made sufficient progress to take part in the derby normally.
His return provides a boost for Al Ittihad, but uncertainty remains over Kadesh, whose availability has not yet been decided. The Saudi international is currently dealing with an injury and missed his country’s final match at Gulf 27.
Kadesh was injured while representing Saudi Arabia in the tournament and was absent until the final, which Saudi Arabia won 2-0 against the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
Al Ittihad will be seeking victory at Kingdom Arena to move above Al Hilal and take top spot in the Roshn Saudi League. They remain the only team in the competition yet to lose this season.
Al Hilal, meanwhile, have suffered one defeat, losing 2-0 to NEOM. That result has left them with a one-point advantage over their title rivals before the two clubs meet in Riyadh.
The contrasting injury updates have therefore shaped preparations for a match that could alter the league leadership. While Ilenikhena is now available after returning to full training, Al Ittihad must wait for further clarity on whether Kadesh can recover in time to face the leaders.
