The Italian Simone Inzaghi, the head coach of Al-Hilal, made a notable decision to exclude three of the team's stars before the match against Shabab Al-Ahli of the UAE in the AFC Champions League elite stage.

Inzaghi chose not to include Salem Al-Dawsari and Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly in the team's trip to Dubai, scheduled for the seventh round match of the continental tournament.

Journalistic sources revealed that the absence of Salem Al-Dawsari and Koulibaly is due to the coaching staff's desire to rest them, in order to avoid fatigue before the upcoming stages of the competitions.

On the other hand, the exclusion of Brazilian Marcos Leonardo was purely a technical decision, as part of the coach's plan to redistribute roles and give opportunities to other players.

Inzaghi intends to field several new names in the match, including Spaniard Pablo Mari, the Frenchmen Simon Bouabre and Mohamed Meti, as well as Mourad Hossawi and Sultan Mandash.

The Al Hilal delegation arrived in Dubai this afternoon, where the team continues its final preparations before facing Shabab Al Ahli on UAE soil.

Al Hilal leads its group in the AFC Champions League for the elite with a perfect score of 18 points, while Shabab Al Ahli is in fifth place with 10 points, in a match that holds significant competitive importance.