Al Hilal Loses João Cancelo to Injury Ahead of Semifinal Clash

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Al Hilal coach Jorge Jesus expressed confidence that João Cancelo will recover from a hamstring injury in time for the Club World Cup this June. Cancelo limped off during the first half of Al Hilal’s recent ACLE quarterfinal win over South Korea’s Gwangju on Friday.

The 30-year-old Portuguese defender’s departure marked a low point in an otherwise strong performance for Al Hilal, who secured their place in the semifinals. Cancelo was returning from a previous hamstring injury that had sidelined him for two months.

“The only negative part [of the win over Gwangju] was the injury to João Cancelo,” Jesus said through an interpreter. “We lost a player who is very important to the team. He will be out of matches for between four to six weeks.”

Although Cancelo will miss the upcoming ACLE semifinals, Jesus remains hopeful he will be ready for the Club World Cup, where Al Hilal will face their opponent in Miami on June 18.

As the most successful club in ACLE history, Al Hilal aims to reach its 10th continental final against another Saudi team, Al Ahli. The semifinal is set for the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.

Al Ahli’s coach Matthias Jaissle noted their previous success against Al Hilal, where a hat trick from their striker led to a 3-2 win in February. “That helps, definitely, to know and to feel that we are capable of beating Al Hilal,” Jaissle said.

With three Saudi clubs advancing to the semifinals, many are recognizing the growth of Saudi football on the continental stage. “If we have this number of Saudi teams in the semifinals, it’s evidence that Saudi football is advancing more and more,” Jesus added.

As Al Hilal prepares for their semifinal on Tuesday, the stakes are incredibly high, with a place in the final on the line.