The Al-Hilal delegation set off this afternoon (Saturday) from the capital Riyadh to Uzbekistan, in preparation for facing Nasaf Qarshi in the second round of the group stage of the AFC Champions League for elite teams.

Brazilian Philippe Malcolm joined the squad heading out after recovering from an ankle injury he sustained in the recent match against Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, providing a morale boost for the coaching staff ahead of the continental clash.

On the other hand, the quartet of Salem Al-Dosari, Darwin Nunez, Abdul-Ilah Al-Malki, and Joao Cancelo missed the delegation, as they continue their treatment and rehabilitation programs, hoping to regain their readiness with the return of competitions after the upcoming international break.

The blue players are scheduled to conduct their final training session tomorrow at 6 PM at the central stadium in the city of Qarshi, which is about 520 kilometers southwest of the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, in preparation for the anticipated match.

Italian coach Simone Inzaghi will also hold a press conference alongside one of the players before the training session to discuss the team's preparations and aspirations for a positive result against Nasaf Qarshi.

Al-Hilal hopes to return from Uzbekistan with three points to strengthen its strong start in the current edition of the continental tournament, especially after winning the opening round against Qatari Al-Duhail with a score of 2-1.