Saudi Arabia dominated by Al-Hilal stars: how will the national team line up against South Korea?

Television reports have revealed the approach that Georgios Donis, the Greek head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team, will follow during the friendly match his side will play against South Korea.

Saudi Arabia will face South Korea tomorrow, Friday, at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital, Doha, in a friendly match in preparation for the upcoming fixtures.

The expected Saudi Arabia line-up against South Korea

Donis has all but settled on the side he will send out for the match, according to Saudi media figure Khaled Al-Shanif, presenter of the "Doreena Ghair" programme.

The Greek coach is undecided over just one spot, Al-Shanif explained: the left wing, where he is weighing up Al-Hilal star Sultan Mandash against Al-Ittihad's Ahmed Al-Ghamdi.

Al-Hilal players fill most of the other ten positions, claiming 5 of them. Goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais leads the way, joined by defender Hassan Tambakti, left-back Mutaab Al-Harbi and midfielders Mohammed Kanno and Nasser Al-Dawsari.

Elsewhere, Al-Nassr's Abdulelah Al-Amri will play in the heart of defence and Lens star Saud Abdulhamid takes the right-back berth.

Up front, Al-Qadsiah playmaker Musab Al-Juwayr lines up alongside team-mate Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, behind Al-Ahli striker Firas Al-Buraikan.

Saudi Arabia at full strength

Saudi Arabia go into the South Korea match at full strength. Al-Ahli striker Firas Al-Buraikan returned to group training for the first time during the current break on Wednesday, having recovered from injury.

Al-Buraikan had missed the first two days of group training with a cold, casting doubt over whether he could feature against South Korea.

His return leaves Saudi Arabia with no absentees for the clash, especially as Lens right-back Saud Abdulhamid also joined training for the first time on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia will play another friendly in the Doha camp, against Uzbekistan, on Tuesday 17 November.

The truth about Donis's departure from Saudi Arabia

Saudi media figure Abdulrahman Al-Humaidi, presenter of the "Nadeena" programme on "MBC 1", had claimed Greek coach Georgios Donis would leave his post as Saudi Arabia head coach with a 99% probability.

Donis hit back at that story in comments to Saudi newspaper "Al-Riyadiah", saying: "I am not concerned with the rumours that are circulated from time to time about my professional future with Saudi Arabia."

He added: "What concerns me at present is developing the national team and focusing on the work. I have the experience to deal with what is going on around my professional future, and I will give the best I have to serve Saudi football."

Those words echoed a statement from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, reported by the Saudi "Al-Ekhbariya" channel, which denied any possibility of sacking the Greek coach and confirmed he would stay in post.

It marked the second time the Saudi Arabian Football Federation has rejected news of Donis's departure, having done so already last October.

Some reports had claimed the Saudi federation wants to sign Spaniard Roberto Martinez, the former Portugal boss, to lead Saudi Arabia at the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Donis's place.

That story sparked fury on the Saudi football scene, not least given how little time remained before the Asian tournament kicked off, prompting the federation to issue its denial.

Postponing the 2027 AFC Asian Cup from January to December next year has reignited the debate over sacking Donis, with plenty of time now left before the tournament.