Darwin Nunez banned from Al-Hilal return as ex-Liverpool star's time in Saudi gets worse

Darwin Nunez banned from Al-Hilal return as ex-Liverpool star's time in Saudi gets worseDarwin Nunez was set to return for Al-Hilal on Monday but was suspended at the last minuteCommentsSportAbbie Meehan Senior Sports Writer and Maria Ortega Foreign Content Specialist14:33, 15 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesDarwin Nunez is facing another Saudi nightmare(Image: Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)Darwin Nunez has been handed a ban from the AFC Champions League after travelling with the Al-Hilal squad. This has left the ex-Liverpool forward facing an agonising wait until the World Cup before he can play competitive football again.‌Nunez completed a £46million move to the Saudi Pro League outfit last summer and had been expected to make his comeback to first-team action on Monday. Since departing Anfield, the Uruguayan has endured considerable turmoil after being unregistered by Al-Hilal in February, following the arrival of Karim Benzema.‌As a result, Nunez was frozen out of domestic fixtures and limited to just two appearances in the AFC Champions League. At the time, boss Simone Inzaghi defended the call by insisting Benzema was more integral to his plans than the south American striker.‌He said: "The decision was difficult, but that's the job of a coach. He makes many decisions every day, even in every training session.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FB PAGE! Latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook pageREAD MORE: Mohamed Salah's dream Liverpool exit collapses after Jamie Carragher Anfield farewell commentsREAD MORE: Wayne Rooney levels brutal accusation at Arne Slot's Liverpool players after PSG Champions League exit"Nunez and Pablo Mari are good players. I want them in all competitions, but we know the restrictions on registering foreign players."‌To make matters worse, the Asian Football Confederation suspended the AFC Champions League due to the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, pushing the striker's anticipated return back from March to...