Al-Ahli regained Edouard Mendy and Wenderson Galeno in training before their AFC Champions League Elite third-round match against Al-Gharafa on Monday. After a final session, Marino Pusic had still not settled on whether the pair would start.
Mendy and Galeno return
Sources close to "Al-Riyadiah" newspaper reported that Mendy and Galeno returned to training after injury. Sources close to "Al-Riyadiah" newspaper also reported that the two players took part in Sunday's full session after completing their treatment and rehabilitation programmes.
Start decision still pending
Pusic had not yet settled on whether Mendy and Galeno would start against Al-Gharafa. GOAL says Pusic was expected to decide the final status of Mendy and Galeno at the technical meeting hours before kick-off.
Three players remain out
Merih Demiral, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat and Nayef Masoud would stay sidelined because they were still working through their treatment and rehabilitation programmes and were not yet fully ready to return. Demiral was nursing a foot joint injury picked up in training before the clash against Al-Khaleej on Saturday. A shoulder joint injury had kept Saleh Abu Al-Shamat out of the last two matches against Al-Feiha and Al-Khaleej. Nayef Masoud continued to recover from a foot joint injury that had already kept him out of four league matches and the continental clash against Al-Wasl.
Group position and results
Al-Ahli wrapped up their preparations with a final session. They were fifth in the Western group on four points after opening with a 1-1 draw against Pakhtakor and then beating Al-Wasl 3-1. Al-Gharafa had lost both their opening fixtures, 2-1 to Al-Hilal and 2-1 against Esteghlal.