The stage is set for the Riyadh Season Cup. Countless will be glued to their televisions tonight as Al Hilal kicks off the friendly tournament against Inter Miami at the Kingdom Arena. Amidst the anticipation, an Al Hilal star, who previously faced Lionel Messi and defeated his Argentina side in the 2022 World Cup, insists the match against Messi’s domestic side ‘has its own preparations.’

Not many get to savour the experience of defeating Messi’s team, unlike Yasser Al-Shahrani. The Saudi Arabian international, along with his teammates, was no less than a nightmare for La Albiceleste, clinching a 2-1 win in the opening group-stage match. Fast forwarding to today: Al-Shahrani will again face Messi, who is on a different side. Interestingly, when asked if he is confident enough to once again make Messi throw in the towel alongside his Al Hilal teammates, the left-back said, “I have faced Messi previously, but every match is different from the other, and the Inter Miami match has its own preparations.”

This answer from Al-Shahrani suggests that, despite the echoes of prior successes, he is keeping his feet on the ground. Notably, Al Hilal are favourites to win the opening fixture of the Riyadh Season Cup. The Al Za’eem are coming off 20 straight wins and are at the top of the table with 53 points. On the other hand, Inter Miami are still finding their first victory since the start of the 2024 year. In the last two friendlies against El Salvador and FC Dallas, they suffered a draw and a loss. 

However, anything can happen with the likes of Messi and Suarez on the pitch. Speaking of which, Al Hilal’s boss can’t seem to contain his excitement for playing his side against the 8X Ballon d’Or winner.

Al Hilal boss excited to face Lionel Messi and Inter Miami

Before the Riyadh Season Cup kickoff press conference, Al Hilal’s head coach, Jorge Jesus, showed his admiration for Lionel Messi. While praising the joy of seeing the soccer legend in action, he said, “The presence of Al Hilal and Messi in the match makes the event and the match exceptional.”

READ MORE: Al Hilal vs Inter Miami: Expected Lineups, Predictions, Odds, Injury News, Stats, Streaming & How to Watch Lionel Messi in Riyadh Season Cup

The presence of the injured Neymar Jr. would have also made tonight’s match much more interesting. Unfortunately, the winger is recuperating in Sao Paolo and has missed a chance to reunite with his former Barcelona teammates, including Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. Either way, it remains to be an enthralling encounter. 

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