Greek coach Giorgos Donis, manager of Al-Khaleej FC, has finalized his tactical options to compensate for the absence of Portuguese left-back Pedro Rebocho in the upcoming match against Al-Hazm. The coach has decided to include Ali Salem in the starting lineup, making him the immediate replacement at left-back for this round.
The absence of Portuguese professional Rebocho from the Al-Hazm match is due to suspension, resulting from an accumulation of yellow cards received in previous rounds. This absence has prompted the coaching staff to explore available options on the bench to ensure the stability of the team's defense in this important match.
Ali Salem will make his first start for Al-Khaleej since joining the club. The player, who joined coach Donis's squad on loan from Al-Akhdoud, will have his full opportunity to start from the first minute in Friday's match and prove his ability to fill the void left by key absences.
The team's statistics indicate a heavy reliance on Pedro Rebocho this season, with the 31-year-old being a key player in Al-Khaleej's lineup. Rebocho has participated in 27 matches for the team, providing six assists and accumulating 2,425 minutes of playing time, making replacing him a significant tactical challenge for the coaching staff.
Al-Khaleej is scheduled to host Al-Hazm next Friday evening, with kickoff at 10:00 PM. This match is part of the 25th round of the Saudi Professional League, and both teams will be looking to improve their positions in the standings.
Al-Khaleej enters the match in eleventh place in the league standings with 27 points. The game takes on a particularly competitive edge due to the close proximity of the two sides in terms of points and positions. Al-Hazm sits in tenth place, just one point ahead of their hosts, Al-Khaleej, making the three points crucial for both teams to break the deadlock in the mid-table.
