RIYADH: Midfield maestro Salman Al-Faraj has given Al-Hilal a major boost ahead of Thursday’s Saudi Pro League match against Al-Hazem with a return to training.

The reigning champions’ captain had been sidelined due to a recent injury picked up in the club’s last AFC Champions League match against Iran’s Esteghlal, but after a period of rehabilitation he was on Monday given the all-clear to resume full training with the rest of the squad.

He will now undergo another fitness test ahead of the seventh-round fixture at Al-Hazem Stadium.

Al-Faraj’s injury on Sept. 13 forced him to miss SPL matches against Al-Ettifaq and Al-Shabab in the fifth and sixth rounds of the domestic league.

Meanwhile, Al-Hilal defender Ali Al-Bulaihi was continuing his recovery program after taking a knock against Al-Shabab last week.

Injury-hit Al-Hilal are still without the services of the sidelined Mohammed Al-Breik, Abdullah Otayf, Andre Carrillo, and Salem Al-Dossari.