The coaching staff of Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal club received a tremendous morale and tactical boost ahead of their highly anticipated clash against Qatar's Al-Sadd in the Gulf derby, a Round of 16 match in the AFC Champions League. All eyes will be on Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, the Qatari capital, which will host this crucial encounter, as Al-Hilal aims to continue its journey towards the continental title.

This significant boost comes in the form of French star Karim Benzema's full readiness to make his official debut for Al-Hilal in the Asian Champions League. This highly anticipated appearance follows a period of enforced absence from the team's group stage matches in the continental tournament, due to AFC regulations governing player transfers and participation. These regulations prohibit any player from representing two different clubs in the same stage (group stage) of the same competition, which led to Benzema's Asian debut being postponed until the knockout rounds.

Karim Benzema is enjoying a period of exceptional form with Al-Hilal, having played two domestic matches in which he strongly impressed the Blue Wave fans. This was particularly evident in the match against Al-Akhdoud in the Roshan Professional League, where the French star unleashed a hat-trick, contributing significantly to securing the points. His total goal contributions now stand at four (goals and assists) in just two matches, making him the coach's most valuable asset for the upcoming Doha match.

The Al-Hilal vs. Al-Sadd match holds immense strategic importance, not only because it pits two giants of West Asian football against each other, but also because it falls within the new format of the "Elite" tournament, which demands high concentration and fewer errors. Al-Hilal is counting on Benzema's extensive experience in European leagues and the Champions League to tip the scales in their favor in such crucial matches, where small details often dictate the outcome. Al-Hilal aims to overcome Al-Sadd and advance towards reclaiming the Asian title, capitalizing on the formidable strength Benzema's addition to the continental squad has brought to the team.

A large crowd is expected for the match, given the immense popularity of both teams in the Gulf region, where encounters between Saudi and Qatari clubs are always highly anticipated and fiercely contested. The presence of a star player like Karim Benzema in the starting lineup will undoubtedly add to the media and fan buzz surrounding this encounter, as everyone eagerly awaits the outcome, which will determine who advances to the quarterfinals.

In a significant development within the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Samir Sobha, a member of the CAF Executive Committee, made a startling revelation regarding the events that transpired during the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations, recently held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. These statements shed light on the refereeing and organizational controversies that surrounded the decisive match.

Sobha, who wields considerable administrative influence after being re-elected to the Executive Committee in March of last year, offered a sincere and public apology to the Kingdom of Morocco for what he described as "the great injustice inflicted upon the Moroccan people and their national team." The Moroccan team had lost the title 1-0 to Senegal in a match marked by lengthy stoppages and widespread protests, particularly after a controversial penalty kick was awarded, which led to the Senegalese team walking off the pitch before returning to resume play after a full 15 minutes.

In terms of the legal and regulatory background, this incident sets a dangerous precedent in continental championship finals. FIFA and CAF regulations clearly stipulate severe penalties for teams leaving the pitch in protest against refereeing decisions. Experts believe that the failure to strictly enforce these regulations in such major tournaments opens the door to a recurrence of chaotic scenarios that negatively impact the reputation of African football globally, especially given the increasing international attention given to the continent's competitions.

The Guardian quoted the African official as saying: "I appeal to the Moroccan Football Federation to forgive us for the injustice done to them… The rules were not properly respected in this match… They were robbed of the prize." He further explained the legal error: "It is clear that after the Senegalese team left the field, all players should have been penalized with a yellow card according to the laws of the game, which did not happen, thus violating the principle of equal opportunity and sportsmanship.".

Sobha continued, his tone laced with regret and realism: "I'm not saying we shouldn't award the cup to Senegal. What happened has already happened and is now in the past; we can't change the result mathematically… But we must overcome our differences and courageously acknowledge that an injustice was done to the Moroccan team. After a thorough review of the tournament regulations, I am absolutely certain of the validity of my position." These statements carry significant weight as they come from within the CAF's decision-making circles, potentially prompting a comprehensive review of the refereeing system and crisis management in future tournaments to ensure such blunders, which undermine the efforts of both host and competing teams, are not repeated.

Portuguese Rui Pedro, the sporting director of Al-Ahli Saudi Club, revealed pleasant surprises for the fans of "Al-Raqui" regarding the future of the first football team stars, confirming that there is a strong desire among a large number of players to renew their contracts and continue with the club's project, despite receiving tempting offers to return to European stadiums.

In important statements he made to Sky Sports, Pedro highlighted the psychological and technical stability that the team's players are experiencing, saying: "There are a large number of players who joined us in the summer of 2023 and the summer of 2024 who are very keen to renew their contracts because of their great happiness here in the Kingdom. Many of them already have better offers from major European clubs, yet they choose to stay and extend their journey with us.".

The Al-Ahli sporting director added that this commitment to staying represents "a very strong message to every player in Europe who is thinking of experiencing Saudi football," noting that the Saudi league is no longer just a passing stop, but has become an attractive destination that provides a high-level professional and competitive environment.

The context of the major transformation in Al-Ahli and Saudi football

Rui Pedro's statements come at a time when Saudi football is experiencing an unprecedented boom that effectively began in the summer of 2023, when Al-Ahli, then newly promoted to the Professional League, made high-profile signings, bringing in international stars such as Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy, and Franck Kessié. These stars not only added technical quality to the pitch but also contributed to raising the market value and marketing potential of the Saudi Professional League, making their desire to renew their contracts a strong testament to the success of the Saudi sports project and its ability to maintain its gains.

Franck Kessie's future and the challenges of the transfer market

Meanwhile, attention is focused on the contract renewal process for players nearing the end of the current season, with Ivorian star Franck Kessié, the team's midfielder and one of its key players, topping the list. Reports indicate that Kessié is attracting significant interest from several clubs looking to acquire his services during the upcoming summer transfer window. However, Pedro's recent statements offer a positive indication that he may remain with Al Ahly.

Maintaining the core of the team, especially influential players like Kessie, is a top priority for the club's management to ensure competition for local and continental titles in the coming seasons, especially in light of the fierce competition with other clubs in the fund.

Preparing for upcoming matches

On the field, Al-Ahli's first football team continues its intensive preparations for its upcoming match against Al-Najma in the next round of the Roshan Professional League. The match is scheduled to take place at Al-Inma Stadium, where Al-Ahli aims to secure a victory and claim the three points to continue its climb up the league standings and delight its large fan base.