Al Hilal in April 2026: A Dated Look Back at the Late Season Run In

This article was first published in April 2026, during the closing weeks of the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League season. It is no longer current news. The season ended on 21 May 2026, and this updated version is kept only as a dated look back at that April 2026 period. The earlier version centred on Karim Benzema, Salem Al-Dawsari and Murad Hawsawi, but its specific injury claims have been removed, as explained below.

At the time, readers followed Al Hilal as the club approached a league fixture against Damac. That fixture and that period are now in the past, so this page no longer presents team news, availability or fixtures as current or upcoming.

The Context in April 2026

In April 2026, Al Hilal were due to face Damac at Kingdom Arena on 28 April. At that point, Al Hilal sat five points behind league leaders Al-Nassr, not six points. Al Hilal were not the defending champions. Al-Ittihad had won the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League, so Al-Ittihad were the defending champions going into the 2025-26 season.

The earlier version framed its injury reporting as officially confirmed by the club. That official confirmation framing has been removed. The specific injury claims in the earlier version were uncorroborated, and this updated look back does not present them as fact.

Benzema: Specific Claim Removed

The earlier version made a specific fitness claim about Karim Benzema. That claim was uncorroborated and has been removed. No specific injury diagnosis for Benzema is stated in this updated version.

Benzema was part of the Al Hilal squad story during that period, and discussion at the time focused on how the team would line up in attack during the closing weeks of the season. That discussion belongs to April 2026 and is not current team news.

Al-Dawsari: Specific Claim Removed

Salem Al-Dawsari was an important creative player for Al Hilal, and his role was widely discussed during that period. The earlier version made a specific fitness claim about him. That claim was uncorroborated and has been removed, and no specific injury diagnosis for Al-Dawsari is stated here.

Manager Simone Inzaghi had selection decisions to make during that busy period, as coaches do when a squad is competing across multiple competitions. This section is kept in past tense as part of the April 2026 look back.

Hawsawi: Specific Claim Removed

The earlier version also made a specific fitness claim about Murad Hawsawi and described him as a confirmed name on an injury report. That claim and that framing were uncorroborated and have been removed. No specific injury diagnosis for Hawsawi is stated in this updated version.

Hawsawi was valued in that period for the cover he provided across midfield positions. That versatility gave the coaching staff options for rotation during the closing weeks of the season.

How Al Hilal Approached the Closing Weeks

In that period, Simone Inzaghi had attacking and midfield options to consider, including the players already discussed in contemporary coverage of the squad. Selection choices at the time were made in the context of a title race that has long since finished.

The Damac fixture was one of the matches in that late season period. Damac were fighting near the bottom at the time, while Al Hilal were chasing Al-Nassr. Both campaigns ended when the 2025-26 season finished on 21 May 2026.

FAQs About This Updated Look Back

Did the earlier version make a specific claim about Benzema? Yes. It made a specific fitness claim about Karim Benzema, but that claim was uncorroborated and has been removed. This updated version states no diagnosis for him.

Did the earlier version make a specific claim about Al-Dawsari? Yes. It made a specific fitness claim about Salem Al-Dawsari, but that claim was uncorroborated and has been removed. This updated version states no diagnosis for him.

Did the earlier version make a specific claim about Hawsawi? Yes. It made a specific fitness claim about Murad Hawsawi, but that claim was uncorroborated and has been removed. This updated version states no diagnosis for him.

Where was the Al Hilal vs Damac match in April 2026? The fixture was at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. It was part of the April 2026 period covered by this look back and is not an upcoming fixture.

Why was this article updated? It was updated because the 2025-26 season ended on 21 May 2026, because two factual points needed correcting, and because specific uncorroborated injury claims and official confirmation framing needed to be removed.

Conclusion: A Closed Chapter of the 2025-26 Season

This April 2026 piece is now a historical look back, not a current injury update. Al Hilal were not the defending champions, as Al-Ittihad won the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League, and the gap to Al-Nassr referenced at the time was five points. The specific injury claims about Benzema, Al-Dawsari and Hawsawi have been removed, and the season they belonged to ended on 21 May 2026.