Inzaghi's Decision on Watkins Ahead of Al-Hilal vs Al-Gharafa
Simone Inzaghi will take his Ollie Watkins gamble right to the wire.
The Al-Hilal head coach confirmed on Monday that a late call will decide whether the English forward features against Al-Gharafa in the AFC Champions League Elite, as the Saudi giants launch another tilt at a competition they consider part of their identity.
Al-Hilal host the Qatari side on Tuesday at Kingdom Arena in the opening round of the league phase, a first step in a campaign loaded with expectation after last season’s painful exit.
“This is a big tournament and dear to our hearts,” Inzaghi said, speaking alongside defender Kalidou Koulibaly in his pre-match press conference, as reported by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. Training on Monday night, he stressed, would be geared entirely towards being “ready to play our first match in it.”
Familiar foe, same ferocity
Al-Gharafa are no mystery to Al-Hilal. The sides met last year, and little has changed on the Qatari bench or in their core squad.
“We know Al-Gharafa well, we faced them last year, and they have almost the same coach and players,” Inzaghi noted. “They have fast forwards, and we will enter the match with full ferocity.”
The message was clear: no easing into Asia, no feeling-out process. One game at a time, maximum intensity.
“We think about each match on its own, and tomorrow is our first match in the tournament,” he said. “We came out of the meeting with Al-Taawoun 48 hours ago, and we will aim to win the match.”
The schedule has been unforgiving. Three games in quick succession, the physical and mental strain obvious. Yet Al-Hilal still sit top of the Roshn League table, and Inzaghi leaned on that as proof his squad can live with the demands.
“The players are used to the pressure, we played 3 consecutive matches, and despite that we are still top of the league table,” he pointed out.
Best in Saudi, eyes on Asia
Domestically, Inzaghi did not shy away from a bold assessment of his team’s level.
“We are the best team on both the attacking and defensive fronts (in the Roshn League),” he said, framing Tuesday night as the start of something separate. “Tomorrow we will open a new chapter in the Asian tournament.”
That “new chapter” comes after a brutal ending to the last one. Al-Hilal crashed out of the previous AFC Champions League Elite in the quarter-finals, losing on penalties to Al-Sadd. For a club with four continental titles – the most in the competition’s history – that exit still stings.
The expectation, internally and externally, is that Al-Hilal do more than just participate. They are measured against trophies, not appearances.
Injury puzzle and the Watkins question
Selection, then, becomes a delicate balance. Inzaghi confirmed a boost in one area and a headache in another.
“(Simon) Bouabre will be available for the match, and we will aim to use all available players in this tournament,” he said, underlining how heavily he intends to lean on the full depth of his squad across the Asian campaign.
The key uncertainty remains Watkins.
“Whether (Ollie) Watkins participates or not will be decided after today’s training,” Inzaghi revealed, keeping Al-Gharafa guessing over whether they will face one of Al-Hilal’s main attacking weapons.
What is certain is that there will be firepower on the pitch. “(Crysencio) Summerville and (Gabriel) Martinelli will feature in the game,” he confirmed, ensuring that Al-Hilal’s front line will still carry threat even if Watkins does not make it.
For a club that sees the AFC Champions League Elite as part of its DNA, the opening whistle at Kingdom Arena is more than the start of a group campaign. It is the beginning of Al-Hilal’s attempt to turn domestic dominance into continental redemption – with or without their English striker.
