Al-shabab Vs Al-hilal: Riyadh derby preview, stats, team news and Ben Zakri statements
Fresh material gathered in the build-up to the derby frames the al-shabab vs al-hilal meeting as a clash between a struggling home side and one of the division’s most consistent teams; this snapshot includes league records, recent form, injuries, refereeing notes and a set of public statements that have emerged around the fixture.
Al-shabab Vs Al-hilal: Saudi League stats & head-to-head
The head-to-head context shows recent dominance from Al-Hilal: the Blue Waves have won four of the last five meetings with Al-Shabab, while Al-Shabab failed to register a victory in that period and managed one draw. A separate match note lists an outcome in which Al-Hilal defeated Al-Shabab 5-3 in the Saudi League. Tables and match times are subject to change; all times are listed in UK time in the original schedule notes. Last updated 27 February 2026 at 21: 01. Copyright © 2026. The publisher notes that tables are subject to change and is not responsible for external content changes.
Preview, team form and match context
The fixture is set for the SHG Arena on Friday evening, with both sides aiming to strengthen their league positions. Al-Shabab, nicknamed the White Lions, are described as having a mixed campaign: they sit 12th in the Saudi Pro League with 25 points from 23 matches, built from six wins, seven draws and 10 defeats. They have scored 27 goals and conceded 33.
Recent results for Al-Shabab show three wins and two defeats from their last five matches across all competitions, including a 3-1 victory over Al-Riyadh that has been highlighted as a confidence booster. The White Lions have scored nine goals in their last five matches but remain flagged for defensive frailty; the coverage states they have conceded the most penalties in the league this season. Their SHG Arena home record is listed as four wins, three draws and four defeats.
Al-Hilal, nicknamed the Blue Waves, are presented as one of the league’s most consistent sides and remain in the title race. They occupy third place with 55 points, maintaining an unbeaten record in the season summary: 16 wins and seven draws, with 57 goals scored and 20 conceded. Their last outing is recorded as a 1-1 draw with Al-Taawoun. Recent form is given as two wins and three draws from the last five matches, and their away record is listed as seven wins and four draws on the road.
Injury, selection and squad notes
Al-Shabab will be without Mohammed Harbush, who is sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury sustained in December. Another roster note identifies Carlos Junior as absent from an Al-Shabab match due to injury and mentions a professional player excluded from a match squad. Al-Shabab are expected to rely on Abderrazak Hamdallah to lead the line, with Yannick Carrasco providing attacking support from wide areas.
On Al-Hilal’s side, selection chatter includes a note that Simone Inzaghi has decided on foreign player choices and excluded an unexpected name ahead of a youth derby. Additional adjustments are listed where Inzaghi compensates for the absence of Tambakti and Al-Yami by naming Al-Ajami and Al-Harbi as replacements.
Refereeing, incidents and off-field developments
Refereeing for the Riyadh derby is flagged as being handled by an Austrian refereeing team, described as a European appointment for the match. Off-field items clustered around the fixture include references to a Carrasco–Hamdallah crisis and a headline of special statements from Ben Zakri on that matter. Separate items show a line that Hamdallah has resolved a dispute with Carrasco ahead of the derby.
Additional civic and youth-related notes in the assembled material cite Bin Zakri urging youth to achieve victory over Riyadh, concerns that youth squads could lose four stars ahead of a meeting with Al-Hilal, and a mention that Zakho fans are preparing a special gift for Ali Al-Bulaihi in Iraq. One item records that Noureddine Zakaria is pleased with his first win with Saudi Al-Shabab; coverage also names Noureddine Zekri as the Al-Shabab coach in other notes, reflecting variation in name spellings in the supplied material.
What to watch and immediate outlook
Tactical lines highlight Al-Shabab’s counter-attacking tendency and defensive issues, while Al-Hilal are summarized as a balanced, possession-capable side dangerous on transitions under Simone Inzaghi. Key match questions include whether Al-Shabab can convert recent attacking signs into a stable defensive performance at the SHG Arena and whether Al-Hilal will extend their strong away record and recent head-to-head advantage.
Readers should note that a platform summary within the material states it provides real-time coverage, live results and team standings. Recent updates indicate several interlocking developments; details may evolve as final team selections and official match communications are published.
