Notable Exclusion Before the Camp.. and a Message Carrying More Than One Meaning

In one of his first decisive technical decisions ahead of the new season, Italian Simone Inzaghi sent a clear message about the shape of the Al-Hilal he seeks to build, after excluding one of the team's most prominent defenders from the overseas camp list, in a step that reflects a major shift in his technical calculations and opens the door to many questions about the player's future at the club.

Italian Simone Inzaghi, Al-Hilal's head coach, excluded defender Ali Al-Bulaihi from the list that will travel to Austria on Wednesday for the external preparatory camp, which continues until August 3, as part of the team's preparations for the new season.

According to the Saudi Al-Riyadiya newspaper, initial indicators confirm that Al-Bulaihi is out of Inzaghi's technical plans for the upcoming season, despite his contract with Al-Hilal continuing until next summer.

The 36-year-old defender had returned to group training at the end of last week, after passing physical and muscular tests, following his recovery from the flu that kept him from participating with his teammates at the start of the preparation period, after returning from summer break.

Al-Bulaihi is considered one of the most prominent defenders to have worn the Al-Hilal jersey in recent years, having played 263 matches for the team over eight and a half seasons, scoring 23 goals and providing three assists, before going on loan to Al-Shabab last January.

During his career with Al-Hilal, Al-Bulaihi contributed to winning five Saudi League titles, three King's Cup titles, three Saudi Super Cup titles, and two AFC Champions League titles, making him one of the most decorated players in the club's history in recent years.

The Al-Hilal delegation is scheduled to leave for Austria on Wednesday for the preparatory camp, which includes four friendly matches. The team will start by facing Sturm Graz on July 19, then meet Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa four days later, before facing MC Algiers on July 29, and concluding its friendlies against Qatari Al-Ahli on the last day of the camp.