FootballAbdelli’s challenge deserved a red card, Adil Rami says
Himad Abdelli caught Iron Gomis in the face in the 12th minute. The referee gave only a verbal warning, a decision debated after Marseille’s 2-0 win.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (free licence), cropped and styled by SportNestra — author and licence
The latest result cited ahead of the fixture was a 2-1 victory over Al Gharafa in the AFC Champions League Elite on September 15. Al Sadd, the champions of Qatar, are set to meet Saudi club Al Hilal in a group-stage contest between two sides with considerable continental pedigree.
Their previous meetings in the competition offer a measure of the intensity to come: Al Hilal have won three of their last five encounters with Al Sadd, who have won two, and the games produced 28 goals combined. Recent examples include Al Hilal’s 3-1 victory in October 2025 and a 1-1 draw at Al Sadd in November 2024.
Both clubs arrive with positive recent records. Al Sadd have won four of their last five matches in all competitions; their only defeat in that run was a 3-0 loss to Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League Elite on September 14. Al Hilal have also won four of their last five games. Their only defeat cited came against Neom in the Saudi Pro League on September 7.
Those records add interest to a continental contest between teams accustomed to lively encounters. Their most recent recorded meeting in the competition came on April 13, 2026, when Al Sadd won 7-5 away to Al Hilal.
FootballHimad Abdelli caught Iron Gomis in the face in the 12th minute. The referee gave only a verbal warning, a decision debated after Marseille’s 2-0 win.
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