Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr will look to start their 2023/24 Saudi Pro League campaign in style when they lock horns against Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq this Monday.
Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Stadium forms the backdrop for a highly anticipated clash between last season’s runners-up, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ettifaq on Monday evening.
After months of courting big-name European stars and signing them for eye-watering price tags and wages, the Saudi Pro League is back in action with more eyeballs than ever, signalling the advent of a season brimming with excitement, anticipation, and goals.
It all started with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese global superstar moved to Al-Nassr in January, setting off what appears to be a trend. Many high-profile players have since followed in his footsteps, ditching top European leagues for the sunnier and wealthier climes of the Saudi Pro League, which has a fanatic, and vibrant fanbase already.
Anyway, Al-Nassr come into this game fresh off lifting the Arab Champions Cup, beating Al-Hilal 2-1 in a dramatic final at the weekend despite playing over 60 minutes with 10 men. And the man dominating the football headlines is once again Ronaldo.
Two goals from the Portuguese veteran turned the game on its head. And, despite being forced off the pitch before the end due to injury, the 38-year-old was able to join in with his teammates in the joyous post-match celebrations.
It’s the 4️⃣6️⃣ 🔥🔥
After playing more than 60 minutes with 10 men,
WEEEEE ARRRRE
🏆 CHAMPIONS OF King Salman Clubs Cup🏆YEEEES,
𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 🤩💪 pic.twitter.com/SeW65nQ7SJ— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 12, 2023
The visitors will now turn their attentions to the domestic circuit, where they will be looking to kickstart the new Pro League season on a positive note against Al-Ettifaq, who were not one of the clubs PIF took control of in June. But that has not stopped them from grabbing the headlines.
The Dammam-based outfit recently made the marquee appointment of former Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard as their new head coach. They secured a seventh-place finish in the league last season under Gerrard’s predecessor Antonio Cazorla in a 16-team Saudi top-flight, which has now been expanded to 18 teams for the new season.
In what was a largely inconsistent campaign, the Commandos finished 35 points adrift of the top spot and nine clear of the relegation zone. Under Gerrard, they will be aiming to improve, having made a fair few big-name captures themselves ahead of the new season.
Team News & Tactics
Al-Ettifaq
🆕 Season. 🆕 Goals.
LET'S GO BOYS! 👏🟢#Ettifaq | #YallaRSL | @SPL_EN | #RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/4CAffFEZkD
— Ettifaq Club (@Ettifaq_EN) August 12, 2023
Prior to Steven Gerrard’s arrival, Al-Ettifaq’s squad did not have any familiar names and mainly consisted of homegrown Saudi players. However, they have made some strategic signings of prominent European stars such as midfielder Jordan Henderson from Liverpool, striker Moussa Dembele from Lyon, and centre-back Jack Hendry from Club Brugge in the off-season to improve the squad’s quality.
Former Al-Wehda and Al-Ittihad striker Youssoufou Niakate was the club’s top scorer last term with eight league goals but has been let go to UAE side FC Baniyas on a free transfer.
Fresh from scoring a brace in Ettifaq’s most recent friendly against Rabotnicki, Robin Quaison is another recognisable name in the club’s foreign player contingent. The 29-year-old striker has experience in Europe’s major leagues with Palermo and Mainz and scored six league goals last time out.
Head coach Steven Gerrard favoured a 4-3-3 system during his previous management spells at Aston Villa and Rangers. The Englishman could stick with the same formation here, with defensive midfielder Berat Ozdemir set to be the key component in Gerrard’s team this season.
The 25-year-old Turkey international was signed in the summer of 2022 after playing a key role at the heart of midfield as Trabzonspor bucked the trend to lift the Turkish Super Lig title in 2021/22. He will be supported by Henderson and Ali Abdullah Hazazi in the midfield trio.
Having scored 70 goals from 172 appearances in all competitions for Ligue 1 side Lyon, goal-machine Dembele is now raring to plunder goals in the Saudi top-flight with Ettifaq after joining Gerrard’s side on a free transfer. He will spearhead the attack straightaway, having netted in their recent friendly victory.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Victor; Mowalad, Hendry, Velkovski, Khateeb; Henderson, Ozdemir, Hazazi; Quaison, Dembele, Vitinho
Al-Nassr
Despite scoring 14 goals in half a season, Cristiano Ronaldo could not stop Al-Nassr from finishing three points behind Al-Ittihad, while they also fell short in the King’s Cup.
In come Marcelo Brozovic and Seko Fofana to revamp their central midfield, Sadio Mane to share the attacking burden with the ageing Ronaldo, and Alex Telles to deliver the crosses for his former Manchester United teammate over the summer. And the new arrivals have already made a difference, helping them win the Arab Champions Cup.
The golden winners 🌟🌟 pic.twitter.com/1uhVaxEk8l
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 13, 2023
But their success on the pitch came at a cost. As mentioned above, Ronaldo was stretchered off with an injury after he scored a late double to secure his first trophy since arriving in Saudi Arabia. Manager Luis Castro will be sweating over the fitness of his star striker ahead of their Saudi Pro League opener. But it is highly unlikely he will start here.
To say that he will be missed would be an understatement. Six goals in five matches, including the winner to book Al-Nassr’s place in the knockouts, the winner in the semi-final, and both goals in the showpiece, Ronaldo once again proved he remains the most clutch footballer in history after firing Al-Nassr to Arab Champions Cup success.
In the Portuguese striker’s absence, summer signing Sadio Mane would switch across to operate as the central striker, flanked by an electric wing duo of Anderson Talisca and Abdulrahman Ghareeb.
Head coach Luis Castro could continue with his preferred 4-3-3 system, with Fofana and ex-Inter midfielder Brozovic looking to set the tempo from the engine room. Elsewhere, Brazilian left-back Telles will look to bomb forward at every opportunity in a bid to deliver quality balls into the box with his dangerous left foot.
Goalkeeper David Ospina is still unavailable following a fractured elbow back in January. So young Nawaf Al-Aqidi will continue to deputise for the former Arsenal shot-stopper in between the sticks for Al-Nassr against Al-Ettifaq.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Al-Aqidi; S. Al-Ghannam, Lajami, Madu, Telles; Al-Khaibari, Brozovic, Fofana; Talisca, Mane, Ghareeb
Key Stats
- Al-Ettifaq do not boast a good track record at home of late and are on a three-match winless streak (D1 L2).
- Al-Nassr have an impressive recent record on the road, currently riding on a six-match unbeaten run and winning the last two away fixtures.
- The visitors had the second-best defensive record in last season’s Saudi Pro League, conceding just 18 times, while they were the highest scorers with 63 goals.
- Al-Ettihad had a poor goal-scoring record last season with just 28 goals from 30 games, two fewer than the relegated Al-Aladah.
Player to Watch
Sadio Mane
After a less-than-satisfying spell at Bayern Munich, former Liverpool star Sadio Mane sought a fresh start and joined the Saudi Pro League. He scored just 12 goals and registered six assists in an injury-hit campaign with the German champions last time out, but has made a fine start to life with Al-Nassr, helping them win the Arab Champions Cup only last Saturday.
Although the Bayern move did not go according to plan, Mane earned a place among Europe’s elite attackers during his six-year stint at Anfield, scoring 120 goals in 269 games, becoming a Premier League and Champions League winner in the process.
At 31 years old, he may not have the same pace and agility that made him a nightmare for defenders in one-on-one positions. But he is still very clinical in front of goal due to his ability to finish with either foot and could suit a role through the middle in Ronaldo’s absence here.
Prediction
Al-Ettifaq 0-2 Al-Nassr
Storming their way to Arab Champions Cup glory at the weekend, Al-Nassr are riding a wave of momentum and will be smelling a golden chance to lay down an early marker for the new campaign here. Talisman Ronaldo’s absence comes as a huge blow to Luis Castro’s side. But Al-Nassr have made more quality signings than Monday’s opponent over the summer.
The Knights of Najd have had a busy pre-season that saw them play European sides such as Inter Milan, PSG, and Benfica, followed by an impressive Arab Champions Cup rout. Al-Ettifaq’s pre-season, meanwhile, has been composed of friendlies rather than competitive fixtures. That may well count against the Commandos for this match, as Al-Nassr will be fitter and sharper.
With that in mind, The Hard Tackle predicts Al-Nassr to come out on top with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Al-Ettifaq. Unfortunately for Steven Gerrard, it seems as though he will begin his tenure as Ettifaq’s boss with a defeat.
