The Saudi Al-Hilal team is preparing to face the Qatari Al-Gharafa on Monday evening at the "Thani bin Jassim" Stadium, as part of the fourth round of the group stage of the AFC Champions League, amid notable absences in the ranks of the blue leader.

Al-Hilal enters the match under the guidance of Italian coach Simone Inzaghi, who aims to continue his journey in the continental tournament despite the team suffering from several injuries affecting key players.

Al-Hilal will miss the services of Brazilian Malcom Felipe, who recently suffered an injury requiring a period of evaluation and treatment before returning to the field and participating normally in matches.

Serbian midfielder Sergej Savic is also absent due to injury, which is a significant loss for the team in both defensive and offensive aspects due to his influential role in linking play and creating attacks.

Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez continues to be absent due to injury as well, placing an additional offensive burden on the remaining strikers in this important match.

The list of absences also includes international defender Hassan Tambakti and his teammate Ali Al-Bulaihi, forcing Inzaghi to make defensive adjustments to the starting lineup to ensure technical balance.

Despite the absences, Al-Hilal hopes to return with a positive result that enhances its chances of topping the group, amidst significant fan support and optimism for continuing the competition for the Asian title.