Al Nassr have been handed a significant defensive boost ahead of their upcoming Saudi Pro League fixture, with Mohamed Simakan now eligible to face Al Diriyah. The French centre-back, who had been doubtful after sustaining a muscle strain, has cleared the club’s fitness protocols, providing welcome reassurance to Ange Postecoglou as Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates resume league competition on Friday, October 9.
According to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah, Simakan took part in the full team training session on Thursday, the day before the match, and has entered Postecoglou’s plans.
His recovery could have been a real problem for the coach, since the doubts about his fitness threatened to leave Al Nassr short in defense, but the Frenchman’s return gives the team a key piece at a moment when it needs stability at the back.
The match against Al Diriyah, scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, comes at an important point for Al Nassr in the standings. The club sits third in the Saudi Pro League with 16 points, two behind leaders Al Hilal and one behind Al Ittihad, who occupy second place with 17.
Postecoglou’s side is also coming off a 4-0 loss to Al Ain in its last outing, so a solid defensive performance against a newly promoted side would help them turn the page. The game also marks Ronaldo’s return to club action following a turbulent international break with Portugal, which ended with the forward leaving the national team camp.
Several other absences force changes for Al Nassr
Simakan’s return comes with some bad news for Postecoglou, as Abdulelah Al-Amri has been left out of the squad due to fatigue after winning the Gulf Cup with Saudi Arabia, while Abdulrahman Ghareeb has also been excluded because he is not physically ready to play, according to Arriyadiyah.
The club will also be short in goal, so Postecoglou has called up young goalkeeper Abdulhadi Al-Alwan to cover for the injuries to Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Raghad Al-Najjar and Mubarak Al-Buainain.
Nawaf Boushal, Abdullah Al-Khaibari and Abdullah Al-Hamdan, who also won the Gulf Cup with Saudi Arabia, arrived at the club’s headquarters alongside Al-Amri, though the report does not specify their status for the match.
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