Whoever turns out to be Al-Hilal’s new manager will be boosted by the news that star midfield Carlos Eduardo has been declared fit to start pre-season.
The Brazilian playmaker has been out since November after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the first leg of last year’s AFC Champions League final. He underwent surgery in Brazil and missed the rest of the season.
Al-Hilal struggled badly without him, suffering a shock King’s Cup exit, crashing out of this year’s AFC Champions League at the group stage and crawling over the line in the Saudi Pro League by a point. He has scored 50 goals for the Riyadh giants since joining in the summer of 2015 and scored seven in last year’s AFC Champions League. He linked up particularly well with Omar Khribin, the Syrian striker who wasn’t quite the same force without his Brazilian sidekick.
But the good news for Al-Hilal fans is that Eduardo is well on the road to recovery and a tweet from the club’s English language Twitter account said he will join in “pre-season preparations next Friday after completing his recovery and rehab programs.”
In the absence of a new manager, another tweet said pre-season would be “directed” by head coach Juan Brown, fitness coach Abdulaziz Al-Dawsari and goalkeeping coach Dan Zdranca.
Team manager Fahad Al-Mefarej is heading to Italy, along with the team administrator Waleed Al-Qassem, to choose a suitable location in Italy or Austria for the pre-season training camp.
In another injury news, midfielder Ahmad Ashraf “will start his recovery and rehab process next Friday” after surgery on his lower abdominal muscles while defender Abdullah Al-Hafith is making “significant progress” in his recovery from a cruciate knee ligament injury.
With the playing squad and pre-season preparations taking shape, the Al-Hilal board now need to step up their search for a new manager. Quique Sanchez Flores and Shakhtar Donetsk manager Paulo Fonseca have turned down the chance to coach the Saudi Pro League champions while talks with Sporting manager Jorge Jesus are thought to be ongoing. It is understood that a salary in excess of €6 million ($7 million) has been made available for the right candidate.
Al-Hilal star Carlos Eduardo set to return after serious injury
Al-Hilal star Carlos Eduardo set to return after serious injury
- Brazilian has been out since November
- Al-Hial set to welcome him back for pre-season
Oracle Red Bull Racing signs global partnership deal with Damac
- UAE developer’s branding will appear on the RB22 car’s halo and side pods, as well as the driver kit, helmets, and race suits
DUBAI: Oracle Red Bull Racing has signed a global partnership deal with Damac Properties, the largest private real estate developer in the UAE and the Middle East.
The Formula 1 racing team is one of the most successful in motorsport history, with a driver lineup that features four-time world champion Max Verstappen alongside rising talent Isack Hadjar.
Damac Properties branding will appear on the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 car’s halo and side pods, as well as the team principle and driver team kit, helmets, and race suits.
Over the years, Damac has partnered with brands that include Roberto Cavalli, Paramount, and Chelsea Football Club.
Speaking about the announcement, Amira Sajwani, managing director of sales and development at Damac Properties, said the developer was proud to partner with Oracle Red Bull Racing.
“Formula 1 represents precision, innovation, and elite performance at the highest level, values that resonate deeply with our brand DNA. I truly believe that no real estate developer in the UAE has built a partnership portfolio as diverse and globally impactful as Damac’s, and this collaboration is a powerful testament to that journey,” Sajwani said.
Laurent Mekies, CEO and team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said that the partnership “will open avenues for stronger global engagement and create meaningful impact for both organizations.”
He added: “This partnership reflects our mindset as a business and our vision for the future.”
Ali Sajwani, managing director of operations, finance and hospitality at Damac, said: “Formula 1 has always been a passion of mine, and I deeply understand both the scale and global influence of this industry. At Damac, we are constantly seeking partnerships that are distinctive, powerful, and aligned with our ambition to be a trendsetter in the market.”
The announcement follows Damac’s global partnership with Chelsea Football Club, unveiled in April 2025, with the developer becoming the club’s front-of-jersey sponsor for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. The collaboration also marked the launch of Chelsea Residences by Damac, the world’s first football-branded residential development, located in Dubai.
