Hassan Tambakti Returns to Training for Al-Hilal

Al-Hilal have just taken a deep breath.

Defender Hassan Tambakti is back on the grass, returning to training and offering Simone Inzaghi a badly needed lift as the season edges into its most punishing stretch.

Tambakti steps back into the frame

After weeks on the sidelines, Tambakti joined the first phase of today's session, a carefully managed step in his comeback. It was controlled, it was partial, but it was exactly what Al-Hilal’s staff wanted to see: the defender moving, integrating, testing himself with the group again.

His absence has been a lingering problem. Tambakti picked up his injury while on duty with the Saudi national team during the 2026 World Cup campaign, a blow that halted his momentum and pushed him into a strict treatment and rehabilitation programme. The goal was clear: restore his physical power and technical sharpness, not just rush him back for the sake of it.

Now, there is visible progress. He has cleared the first hurdle. The next one is tougher.

Defence under strain

The timing of his return could change the mood around the squad. Al-Hilal have looked vulnerable at the back in recent weeks, especially through the centre. Gaps have appeared, individual form has dipped, and the defensive line has lost some of its usual authority.

Kalidou Koulibaly, normally a pillar, has struggled to impose himself with the same consistency. That has left Inzaghi juggling options, searching for a stable pairing that can carry the team through the defining matches of the campaign.

Tambakti’s reappearance gives the Italian coach something he has been missing: flexibility. With the Saudi international edging closer, Inzaghi can start to redraw his backline, lean on Tambakti’s strengths in one‑v‑one duels, his timing in cover, and his reading of danger before it fully develops.

A key piece for the decisive stage

Inside the club, Tambakti is not treated as just another squad option. He is central to their calculations. His technical level matters, of course, but so does his experience in high-stakes fixtures and his ability to stay switched on when the pressure spikes.

Those qualities are exactly what “the Boss” need now, with tough battles looming on several fronts and little margin for error. The coaching staff will not rush him; his involvement in official matches will depend on how quickly he reaches full fitness and on Inzaghi’s call.

But today’s session changed the tone. For the first time in weeks, Al-Hilal can realistically picture Tambakti back in the heart of their defence, restoring some of the solidity and balance that has gone missing.

If his recovery continues on this track, Inzaghi may soon have the defensive anchor he has been waiting for—just as the season’s most demanding nights arrive.