Al-Hilal's coaching staff received a significant morale and tactical boost just hours before the highly anticipated match, with official confirmation that their star left-back, Mutaib Al-Harbi, is fit to play against Al-Ettifaq. This confirmation came after the player fully recovered from a recent calf muscle injury, which had cast doubt on his availability for this crucial game.

Al-Harbi participated actively in the Al-Hilal team’s group training session on Thursday evening, after he successfully completed his rehabilitation and treatment program under the supervision of the club’s medical staff, making him an available option for the coach to rely on in the starting lineup or as a winning option on the substitutes’ bench, depending on the technical vision for the match.

Al-Harbi's return is of paramount importance at this crucial juncture in the Saudi Professional League season, as he is a key player for Al-Hilal this season. His impact is evident in the statistics: the left-back has featured in 21 matches for Al-Hilal this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists, accumulating 1118 minutes of playing time, reflecting his significant contribution to both the defensive and offensive aspects of the game.

This match comes amidst fierce competition at the top of the standings, with Al-Hilal entering the game leading the Roshan League table with 50 points. The difficulty lies in the extremely narrow margin separating them from their closest pursuers, as they are only one point ahead of their traditional rivals, Al-Nassr (who have 49 points). This makes a victory against Al-Ettifaq absolutely crucial to maintain their lead and avoid dropping any points that could cost them first place.

On the other hand, Al-Ettifaq is no easy opponent, currently sitting in sixth place in the standings with 35 points. They are striving to improve their position and move closer to the top four, promising a tough and tactical encounter between the two sides. Al-Hilal is scheduled to host Al-Ettifaq at 6:25 PM this Friday, in a match that is highly anticipated by sports fans due to its direct impact on the Saudi League title race, which has garnered global attention.

The technical staff of the Al-Shabab team received a huge moral and technical boost a few hours before the start of the anticipated football summit, as it was definitively confirmed that the veteran Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah is ready to lead the attack of “Al-Laith” in the anticipated match against Al-Ahli, within the competitions of the Saudi Professional League, after his full recovery from the injury that he suffered recently.

Al-Shabab fans are placing high hopes on the return of "Al-Sati" to the starting lineup, given his extensive experience in Saudi football and his ability to decide big matches. The Moroccan international striker has only featured in four matches for Al-Shabab this season in the Roshan League, scoring one goal and providing one assist. He hopes to add to his tally in the upcoming derby against Al-Ahli.

Date and details of the Al-Shabab vs. Al-Ahli match

Al Shabab is scheduled to host Al Ahli at 4:55 PM this Friday in a highly anticipated match as part of the 22nd round of the Roshan League. This game is of paramount importance to both sides, as each team seeks to secure the three points to achieve their respective goals in the league standings.

The two teams' positions in the Roshan League standings

The two teams enter the match in completely different circumstances, as Al-Shabab is suffering from a decline in results that has put it in an unenviable position, as it occupies the thirteenth place in the league standings with only (19) points, a position that does not befit the history of the capital club, making a win an urgent necessity to move away from the danger zones and restore confidence.

On the other hand, Al-Ahli Club is experiencing a state of technical stability, as it occupies the fourth position in the standings with (47) points. “Al-Raqui” aspires to continue its series of victories to secure its place in the Asian championships and compete for the advanced positions, which portends a high-level tactical and physical confrontation between Al-Shabab’s desire to make up for lost ground and Al-Ahli’s ambition to advance.

Matches between Al-Shabab and Al-Ahli always have a special character in Saudi football, given the great history that unites the two clubs, and the presence of elite stars in their ranks. The return of Hamdallah is a factor that may tip the scales in favor of the home team in this difficult encounter.

On a night of shocking football for fans of the Catalan club, German Hansi Flick, the manager of Barcelona, ​​admitted that his players lacked team spirit and received a "harsh lesson" during the first half of the first leg of the Spanish King's Cup semi-final, which ended with a resounding defeat for the Catalan giant against its host Atletico Madrid with a score of 0-4 at the "Civitas Metropolitano" stadium.

The Spanish league leaders and defending champions suffered a heavy blow as Diego Simeone's team thrashed their visitors 4-0 before halftime, a scenario that even the most pessimistic Barcelona fans hadn't anticipated. This defeat is one of Barcelona's heaviest in recent seasons, placing the team under immense pressure ahead of the second leg.

In his post-match press conference, Flick didn't offer flimsy excuses, but rather faced the truth, saying: "We didn't play well as a team in the first half; we didn't play as a unit. The distance between the players was too great, and we didn't press effectively." These statements reflect the tactical flaw that Atlético Madrid exploited brilliantly, relying on swift counter-attacks and exploiting the spaces behind the defenders.

Despite the harsh result, the German coach tried to find the positives in this setback, indicating that this lesson might be necessary for the team to bounce back in the remainder of the season's competitions, both in the league and the Champions League. The former Bayern Munich coach added, "We received a harsh lesson in the first 45 minutes. Sometimes it's good to receive such a lesson at the right time, and perhaps today was the right time." The 60-year-old coach continued defiantly, "The second half was much better, and we have another match, and we will fight to win it," hinting at the team's desire to attempt a difficult comeback in the second leg.

The match was not without its share of refereeing controversy, as the second half saw a goal by Barcelona's young defender Pau Cobarsi disallowed by a late and controversial VAR decision for offside. Adding insult to injury was the lack of explanation to fans in the stadium or watching on screens regarding the offside position during the build-up to the attack, much to Flick's frustration.

Flick angrily commented on the VAR incident, saying: "It's complete chaos, chaos like that. Then they have to wait, I don't know how many minutes. Was it seven minutes? My God! They found something in seven minutes? Fine. For me, when I saw the situation, it was clear there was no offside, but maybe they saw something different at the end, but they told us. There was no communication, and that's very bad." This result raises serious questions about Barcelona's ability to recover mentally and physically before the upcoming challenges, while Atlético Madrid have one foot and a half in the final.