'We have to be calm' - Inzaghi, Leonardo react as Al Hilal's 13-game winning run ends

After dropping their first points in 14 Roshn Saudi League matches - an incredible run - Al Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi called for calm.

OK, Sunday’s 1-1 draw in the derby at Al Riyadh wasn’t what the capital club wanted, but halfway through the 2025-26 campaign they sit top of the table, five points clear.

Of course, Ibrahim Bayesh's equaliser just before the hour was unwelcome. But, bigger picture, Al Hilal remain in pole position to reclaim the RSL title they last landed in that record-breaking 2023-24 campaign.

So, Inzaghi was right to remind perspective was required.

“After 21 games [in all competitions], we took the first draw,” the Italian said. “We are the top team in the league. Tonight, we could have done something more; we weren't very lucky.

“We had a good first half where we created several situations, but we didn't manage to double our advantage. Then, in the second half, we didn't play as we did in the first. We made a mistake on the set-piece, which cost us the draw. Then, we tried everything.

“We didn't manage to take home the three points. We are sorry. We will analyse the game with the players to understand where we could have done better.

“And we have to keep working, like we did after 21 [successive] wins. We drew; we must be calm and analyse calmly.”

Al Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi watched his side's 13-match winning run in the RSL end at Al Riyadh

The dropped points, the first since that "crazy, wild" 3-3 draw with Al Ahli all the way back in Matchweek 3 in September, no doubt gives hope to those chasing Al Hilal.

At present, it is Al Ahli in second, while Al Qadsiah are one point back, in third. Al Nassr, though, can leapfrog both with victory on Monday against fifth-placed Al Taawoun. Do that, and they climb back above Al Ahli on goal difference, the gap between first and second remaining at five points.

Like Inzaghi, Marcos Leonardo wasn’t not overly disheartened by the draw. Scorer of his side's opener against Al Riyadh, the Al Hilal forward knows that, when it’s all tallied up at the conclusion of the campaign, every point might matter.

“We knew it was going to be a very difficult game,” said the Brazilian, who moved to nine RSL goals for the season. “The wind ended up getting in the way of our style of play. But that's it.

“The championship is long. We knew it was going to be difficult. We secured a point - I think this point will be very important for the rest of the championship, for us to win this title, which is very important to us.”