Al-Ittihad Club of Saudi Arabia announced in an official statement released today, Sunday, the nature of the injury sustained by their international striker, Saleh Al-Shehri, confirming that medical examinations revealed a muscle injury in his right leg. This news represents another blow to the team, which is striving to improve its results in the Saudi Professional League.

The club explained that Al-Shehri has already begun his treatment and rehabilitation program under the supervision of the club's medical staff, without specifying the expected duration of his absence from the field, which usually depends on the severity of the injury and the player's response to treatment. This injury comes at a crucial time in the season, as the team relies on all available players to compete strongly in the remaining matches.

General context and impact of the injury

Saleh Al-Shehri joined Al-Ittihad last summer from Al-Hilal, a move that raised high hopes among the club's fans for bolstering the team's attack alongside international stars. This season, Al-Shehri has made 19 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing one assist in 514 minutes of play – statistics that reflect his gradual adaptation to his new team.

The importance of the event and its expected impact

Domestically, Al-Shehri's injury will directly impact the attacking options available to Al-Ittihad's manager, placing additional pressure on the team's other strikers. His absence will be particularly noticeable given the intense competition in the league and the club's ambition to secure a high ranking that would qualify them for continental tournaments.

On the international level, Al-Shehri's injury is a cause for concern for the Saudi national team's coaching staff, led by Italian coach Roberto Mancini. Al-Shehri is considered a key player in the Saudi attack, especially in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup. The national team's coaching staff will closely monitor his recovery, hoping for his swift return to the pitch so he can be ready for upcoming international competitions, which require all key players to be in peak physical and technical condition.

In an exciting football evening at SHG Arena in Riyadh, Al-Shabab confirmed its resurgence and strong return to winning ways, after snatching three valuable points from its guest Al-Fayha, following its victory over them by one goal to nil, in the opening of the twentieth round of the Saudi Professional League.

The context of the match and its importance in the league

This match comes at a time of intense competition and growing global interest in the Saudi Professional League, as all teams strive to improve their positions in the standings. For Al-Shabab, nicknamed "The Lion" and one of the most established clubs in Saudi football, a victory was crucial to confirm their recovery from a period of inconsistent results during the first half of the season. This win marks their second consecutive victory, following their resounding 4-0 win against Al-Hazm in the previous round, providing the team with a significant morale boost going forward.

Details and events of the meeting

Al-Shabab dominated the first half from the outset, nearly opening the scoring early with a header from Dutch defender Wesley Hoedt, but it went just wide of the post in the 8th minute. Despite Al-Shabab's control, Al-Fayha's counter-attacks posed a significant threat, with Zambian striker Fashion Sakala almost scoring in the 17th minute were it not for a decisive defensive intervention. Al-Shabab's Brazilian goalkeeper, Marcelo Grohe, shone in the 31st minute when he saved his team from a certain goal by denying Sakala in a one-on-one situation.

In the 40th minute, the decisive moment arrived. From a well-coordinated attack, Al Shabab converted their dominance into a goal when English midfielder Josh Brownhill met a perfectly weighted cross and cleverly slotted it past Panamanian goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera, who had earlier made a brilliant save from a header by Brazilian Carlos Junior. Al Shabab nearly doubled their lead before halftime, but Mosquera was again equal to the task, first denying a shot from Belgian Yannick Carrasco and then a powerful strike from Ali Al Asmari.

In the second half, the excitement and competitiveness between the two teams continued. Al-Fayha tried to get back into the game, but they were thwarted once again by the brilliance of goalkeeper Grohe, who saved a shot from Spaniard Jason Remeseiro in the 61st minute. The post also denied Al-Fayha an equalizer after deflecting Sabri Dahal's shot in the 65th minute. In the final minutes, Spaniard Unai Hernandez almost snatched an equalizer for Al-Fayha, but his powerful shot went just wide of the post, and the match ended with a well-deserved victory for Al-Shabab.

The impact of the result on the teams' standings

With this victory, Al-Shabab raised their points tally to 19, taking a significant step up the standings and moving further away from the relegation zone, while Al-Fayha's points remained at 20. This win reflects the great work being done by the coaching staff and players to restore the team's competitive identity and puts them in a better position before the upcoming matches in what has been one of the most competitive seasons in the Saudi League.

A dramatic victory on a difficult night at the Bernabeu

In a nail-biting night of football at the Santiago Bernabéu, French star Kylian Mbappé led his team, Real Madrid, to a dramatic and hard-fought 2-1 victory over their city rivals, Rayo Vallecano, in the 22nd round of La Liga. This win came at a crucial time for the Royal Club, offering a glimmer of hope after their recent continental disappointment, but it wasn't enough to quell the anger of the fans, who booed and whistled in protest against the team's inconsistent performance.

A tense situation following a European disappointment

Real Madrid entered the match under immense pressure, not only due to the fierce competition for the La Liga title with their rivals Barcelona, ​​but also because of the repercussions of their humiliating 4-2 European defeat against Benfica. This loss not only cost them the top spot in their Champions League group but also forced them into a difficult playoff to qualify for the round of 16, much to the dismay of their fans, who were accustomed to seeing their team dominate the continental scene. Therefore, facing Rayo Vallecano, known for their resilience and tenacity in derby matches, was a true test of the team's character and their ability to bounce back quickly.

Match highlights: From Bellingham's injury to Mbappe's killer goal

The match began with an early setback for Real Madrid, as their English midfielder Jude Bellingham suffered a muscle injury that forced him to leave the field in the 10th minute, replaced by Moroccan Brahim Diaz. Despite this blow, Brazilian Vinicius Junior managed to open the scoring with a brilliant goal in the 15th minute after a superb individual effort. However, Rayo Vallecano refused to give up and came back strongly in the second half, equalizing through Jorge de Frutos in the 49th minute. The match became more complicated for the home side, and Rayo almost snatched the lead on several occasions, only to be denied by the brilliance of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The turning point came in the final minutes, as Rayo Vallecano were reduced to ten men after the dismissals of Paz Cissé (80th minute) and Pep Chavarria (90+13th minute), giving Real Madrid a numerical advantage. They pressed hard and were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time, which Kylian Mbappé converted successfully, securing a precious victory.

The importance of winning and its future impact

Despite the lackluster performance, this victory holds immense importance for Real Madrid, both domestically and psychologically. Domestically, the win reduces the gap to just one point behind league leaders Barcelona, ​​keeping the team's title hopes alive. Psychologically, securing the victory in the dying minutes demonstrates the team's fighting spirit and ability to win tough matches, a point echoed by coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who said: "It was a victory born of heart and soul." Nevertheless, the boos from the fans serve as a clear message that the team's performance must drastically improve to meet the major challenges ahead, most notably the crucial European playoffs.