Bounou Injury Adds to Al-Hilal's Turmoil Before Al-Taawoun Trip

Al-Hilal’s week has gone from bad to worse. First a shock defeat to Neom. Now uncertainty over star goalkeeper Yassine Bounou just days before a tricky away trip to Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Roshn League.

The league leaders head to Buraidah on Saturday for the seventh round, already under pressure to respond after Monday’s 2-0 loss at Kingdom Arena. That defeat, with Mohammed Al-Owais in goal, exposed a rare fragility in a side used to dictating the pace in Saudi football.

Now their No. 1 is on the treatment table.

Al-Hilal confirmed on Wednesday that Bounou skipped the team’s collective training session after suffering a hamstring injury. The club announced via its official X account that the Moroccan international reported to the medical clinic at the Al-Majidiyah sports centre for assessment.

The problem, the club explained, dates back to the build-up to the Neom clash in the sixth round of the Roshn League. Bounou felt the issue before the match, opening the door for Al-Owais to step in. The stand-in keeper could not prevent a straightforward two-goal defeat that stunned the Kingdom Arena crowd and tightened the title race early in the season.

Physiotherapy specialist Thamer Al-Shahrani has moved to calm fears, describing Bounou’s injury as minor and not a serious concern. The timing, though, is awkward. With just 72 hours between the latest medical update and the Al-Taawoun fixture, Al-Hilal head into the weekend unsure whether their first-choice goalkeeper will be fit to start.

That uncertainty hovers over a team still sitting top of the Saudi League table. Al-Hilal lead with 15 points from five wins and one defeat, ahead of Al-Qadsiah only on goal difference. A slip in Buraidah, especially without Bounou, would not just dent their response to the Neom setback. It would invite the chasing pack to believe the champions are finally within reach.