Al-Nassr Faces Setback as Rakan Al-Ghamdi Injured

Al-Nassr’s preparations for the Roshn League restart have taken a sharp hit. One of their most promising young players, Rakan Al-Ghamdi, has been ruled out for several weeks in a setback that hurts both the first team and the under-21s.

Medical tests revealed the 21-year-old has suffered a sprained knee ligament along with bruised cartilage, according to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah. The expected layoff is between four and six weeks – a crucial window in a packed early-season schedule.

Cruel timing for a breakthrough

The timing could not be worse for Al-Ghamdi. He had just begun to break into the first team, earning the trust of Australian coach Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou handed him his senior debut in the AFC Champions League Elite, bringing him on in the second half against UAE side Al-Ain in the opening round. The night ended in a heavy 4-0 defeat for Al-Nassr, but for Al-Ghamdi it still felt like a personal step forward, a door finally opening.

That door has slammed shut, at least for now.

Blow for first team and youth setup

The damage is not limited to the senior squad. Al-Ghamdi has been a key figure for the under-21 side as well, and it was with that group that disaster struck.

He picked up the injury in the final training session before the under-21 clash with Damac last Friday. Al-Nassr went on to win that match 1-0 in the Joy League Elite competition, but the victory came at a cost.

So the club loses a player who had just started to edge into the first-team picture, while the youth side is stripped of an important piece at a time when every available player matters. One injury, two squads affected. The absence stretching up to six weeks only deepens the frustration inside the club.

Headaches for Postecoglou’s staff

Al-Nassr’s first-team players are due back in training on Monday evening, after being granted a short break following their Asian campaign fixture. The coaching staff now return to work with an extra problem on their hands.

Al-Ghamdi’s knock adds to the technical staff’s headaches in the coming period. He had begun to offer depth and energy, juggling duties with the under-21s while nudging his way into the senior setup. That dual-role value has vanished overnight.

Al-Nassr resume their Roshn League campaign on 9 October, when they host Al-Diriyah at Al-Awwal Park in the eighth round. They sit third in the table on 16 points, just two behind leaders Al-Hilal.

The margins at the top are thin. For a squad chasing down Al-Hilal, losing a young player on the rise is not just unfortunate – it tests how deep this Al-Nassr team really is.