Darwin Nunez was set to return for Al-Hilal on Monday but was suspended at the last minute
Darwin Nunez.
Darwin Nunez is facing another Saudi nightmare(Image: Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
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Darwin Nunez has been handed a ban from the AFC Champions League after travelling with the Al-Hilal squad. This has left the ex-Liverpool forward facing an agonising wait until the World Cup before he can play competitive football again.
Nunez completed a £46million move to the Saudi Pro League outfit last summer and had been expected to make his comeback to first-team action on Monday. Since departing Anfield, the Uruguayan has endured considerable turmoil after being unregistered by Al-Hilal in February, following the arrival of Karim Benzema.
As a result, Nunez was frozen out of domestic fixtures and limited to just two appearances in the AFC Champions League. At the time, boss Simone Inzaghi defended the call by insisting Benzema was more integral to his plans than the south American striker.
He said: "The decision was difficult, but that's the job of a coach. He makes many decisions every day, even in every training session.
"Nunez and Pablo Mari are good players. I want them in all competitions, but we know the restrictions on registering foreign players."
To make matters worse, the Asian Football Confederation suspended the AFC Champions League due to the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, pushing the striker's anticipated return back from March to April 13.
Having travelled with the full squad to face Al-Sadd, Al-Hilal were informed moments before kick-off that Nunez had picked up a booking against Al-Whada on February 16 and was consequently suspended.
Inzaghi was compelled to exclude Nunez from the squad, meaning he didn't even feature among the substitutes. Al-Hilal drew 3-3 with Al-Sadd before being eliminated on penalties, which means the Uruguayan won't represent the side again this campaign.
Darwin Nunez of Al Hilal celebrates during the Saudi Pro League match between Al Ittihad and Al Hilal at King Abdullah Sports City on October 24, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Nunez will not feature for Al-Hilal again this season(Image: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
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This means it has been 56 days since Nunez last appeared in a competitive club fixture. However, he was called up for Uruguay's international squad for friendlies against England and Algeria earlier in March.
During this international window, Nunez clocked just 24 minutes of game time. Throughout the 2025/26 season, he has made 24 appearances for Al-Hilal, scoring nine goals and providing five assists in more than 1,600 minutes on the pitch.
With the World Cup looming, the 26-year-old will depend on training sessions and individual preparation to get ready for the major tournament.
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