Kalidou Koulibaly's availability for Al Hilal's Asian Champions League match uncertain due to thigh injury

Concerns are growing over Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly's fitness ahead of Al Hilal's Asian Champions League knockout matches. Saudi press sources report Koulibaly is suffering from a thigh hematoma following muscle discomfort during training. While initially not considered a serious injury, Al-Riyadh newspaper suggests a potentially more severe situation, indicating an MRI revealed a grade 2 muscle tear and a hematoma in his left thigh, which could require two to four weeks of rest and rehabilitation. Al Hilal has not officially confirmed this advanced diagnosis or an estimated recovery period, only mentioning muscle pain. Despite the uncertainty, Koulibaly has joined the team in Jeddah for their Asian Champions League round of 16 match against Al Sadd, scheduled for 6 PM. His participation in the game remains dependent on close medical monitoring.