Knee surgery sidelines Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves until January

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: hussainm@newsobahrain.com

Al-Hilal’s key midfielder, Ruben Neves, has been ruled out until January following knee surgery, as announced by the Saudi Pro League club on Friday.

The 27-year-old Portuguese international traveled to Finland to undergo surgery on his patellar tendon, a procedure necessary to address an injury that had been troubling him.

This unfortunate setback will see Neves miss crucial fixtures for both club and country.

Out of Portugal’s Squad With this injury, Neves will be absent from Portugal’s Nations League matches against Poland and Croatia, scheduled for November 15 and 18.

The Portuguese midfielder has been an important figure in the national squad, and his absence is likely to be felt as Portugal looks to secure critical points in their campaign.

Neves’ absence will also impact Al-Hilal's journey in the Asian Champions League. He will be unavailable for the high-stakes matches against Qatari sides Al-Sadd on November 26 and Al Gharafa on December 3.

Additionally, he will miss at least three domestic league games, which could affect Al-Hilal's standing as they strive to maintain their lead in the Saudi Pro League. Ruben Neves joined Al-Hilal in June 2023 from Wolverhampton Wanderers, making a swift impact on the team.

Since his arrival, he has been a regular fixture on the field, appearing 59 times and contributing significantly to Al-Hilal’s title-winning campaign last season.

His skill and vision have been instrumental in helping the Riyadh-based club reach the top of the Saudi Pro League and dominate the west Asian section of the Asian Champions League Elite phase.

As Al-Hilal enters this critical phase of the season, the absence of Neves will challenge the squad’s depth and resilience.

With both domestic and continental ambitions in play, the team will need to adapt to maintain their momentum until their star midfielder’s expected return in January.