Darwin Nunez finds himself in a challenging situation with Al-Hilal, as the club has decided to exclude him from their squad for the Saudi Pro League. After joining Al-Hilal from Liverpool in a £46 million transfer last August, Nunez experienced an impressive start, scoring four goals in his initial five matches. However, his performance has significantly declined, contributing only three goals in the following 18 appearances.
Al-Hilal’s Strategic Changes
The recent acquisition of Karim Benzema, a former Real Madrid star, has further complicated Nunez’s position. Benzema has quickly established himself as the first-choice center forward, after making an impactful debut with a hat-trick against Al-Okhdood in a 6-0 victory. Nunez’s exclusion from the squad is part of a strategic decision following the January transfer window, as Al-Hilal focuses on optimizing its foreign player roster.
Current Standing and Future Prospects
With only a limited number of matches left in the season, Nunez is restricted to a maximum of five more games, all within the AFC Champions League. Although still eligible for this tournament, he has missed the opportunity to compete in the Saudi Pro League, beginning with the upcoming match against Al-Ettifaq.
Al-Hilal’s Foreign Player Limitations
- Saudi clubs are restricted to a maximum of eight foreign players aged 21 and above.
- Besides Benzema, Al-Hilal’s squad includes:
- Yassine Bounou
- Ruben Neves
- Kalidou Koulibaly
- Theo Hernandez
- Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
- Malcom
- Marcos Leonardo
- Former Arsenal defender Pablo Mari has also been excluded from the squad.
The Al-Hilal squad predominantly consists of Saudi players, such as Salem Al Dawsari and Nasser Al Dawsari, reflecting the club’s strategy to blend local talent with foreign expertise. As the season progresses, Nunez will need to capitalize on his chances in the AFC Champions League to restore his reputation and future with Al-Hilal.
