Bounou Injury Deepens Al-Hilal's Turmoil Before Al-Taawoun Match

Al-Hilal’s week has gone from bad to worse. First a shock defeat by Neom. Now doubts over their star goalkeeper.

Just three days before a tricky Saudi Roshn League visit to Al-Taawoun in Buraidah, the club confirmed that Morocco’s Yassine Bounou skipped Wednesday’s group training session due to injury.

Al-Hilal, who sit top of the league with 15 points from five wins and one defeat, announced via their official X account that Bounou reported to the medical clinic at the Al-Majidiyah sports centre after suffering a hamstring problem.

The issue, the club indicated, dates back to the build-up to the Neom clash at Kingdom Arena on Monday in the sixth round of the Roshn League. Bounou was unable to start, and Mohammed Al-Owais stepped in. He could not prevent a 2-0 defeat that stunned the league leaders and briefly shook their aura of control.

Physiotherapy specialist Thamer Al-Shahrani has downplayed the severity of the injury, describing it as minor and not a major concern. That reassurance calms the long-term picture, but it does little to clear up the immediate question that matters most to Al-Hilal fans: will Bounou be ready for Al-Taawoun on Saturday?

With Al-Qadsiah level on points and trailing only on goal difference, Al-Hilal head into the seventh round still on top, but suddenly under real pressure. Their response in Buraidah, with or without their Moroccan No. 1, will say plenty about how firmly they intend to keep their grip on the summit.