Al-Hilal faces Al-Sadd at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha this Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for the second round of the AFC Champions League Elite. While Al-Hilal seeks to build on its opening win, Al-Sadd aims to recover from a heavy loss to Esteghlal in their tournament opener.
Al-Hilal’s Squad Updates and Travel to Doha
The Al-Hilal delegation traveled by bus to Doha on Monday, led by board member Nawaf Al-Temyat, to prepare for the clash at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. The team enters the fixture with mixed news regarding player availability. The club was forced to cancel the pre-match press conference due to the team’s late arrival in Doha.
Defender Hamad Al-Yami reached a recovery milestone following March knee surgery by participating in the first part of the team's group training session.
Al-Hilal will also be without Dutch winger Summerville, who is serving a three-match disciplinary suspension following a red card received during the team’s 2-1 victory over Al-Gharafa in the first round.
Lucescu Addresses Defensive Errors After Heavy Defeat
Al-Sadd head coach Răzvan Lucescu, who previously managed Al-Hilal to the 2019 AFC Champions League title, faces a difficult task in revitalizing his squad after a 3-0 defeat to Esteghlal. Addressing the press ahead of the match, Lucescu emphasized the need for tactical discipline against an opponent he considers one of the best in Asia.
We are developing from one match to another and we have to focus on improving the defensive aspects, and during our path in some matches we were scoring six goals, but we concede three, and this happens because of individual errors sometimes.
Răzvan Lucescu, Al-Sadd Head Coach
Lucescu confirmed that Al-Sadd will be missing the duo of Guilherme Torres and Marcelo Brozović due to injuries. Midfielder Paulo Otávio expressed the team's desire to use home-field advantage to secure their first points of the campaign.
Al-Sadd Seeks First Points in League Phase
The match holds high stakes for both clubs as they compete in the new league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite. Al-Hilal sits in the fourth position within the West region standings, level on points with Al-Ain, Esteghlal, and Al-Qadsiah. In contrast, Al-Sadd currently occupies the bottom of the table with zero points, making the match a vital opportunity for the Qatari side to secure their first points of the competition.
The tournament format requires each team to play eight matches during the league phase, with the top eight clubs from each region advancing to the Round of 16. Those knockout matches are scheduled for March 2027, with the final stages of the competition to be held in Saudi Arabia.
