Fourth-placed Al-Taawoun and second-placed Al-Nassr wrap up their Saudi Pro League schedule for 2023 when they square off at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium on Saturday.
Al-Taawoun and Al-Nassr are coming into this face-off on the back of contrasting results in their last Saudi Pro League encounter. Al-Taawoun lost 3-1 to Al-Fateh last weekend, while last season’s runners-up beat Al-Ittihad 5-2 on Boxing Day.
Al-Taawoun are somewhat the minnows of the Saudi Pro League, as they operate on a far lesser budget than their rivals, who they are currently competing with in the league. It was only in 2020 when the club were almost relegated after a torrid season but were spared by a stoppage-time goal in the final game of the season.
They have since recovered from that dire season, but they did it without spending copious amounts of money on European talents like their rivals. They have no doubt been the surprise package of the competition this season and are exceeding expectations as they sit fourth in the league and are in contention for one of the top-three AFC Champions League Elite spots at the moment, trailing Al-Ahli Saudi by just three points for third.
The Wolves registered a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture on matchday two. Interestingly, it was their first away win over the capital club, and they will look to secure their first league double over them. However, Al-Nassr look like a different team than the one that capitulated in the opening two games of the season.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s fine brace led the Knights of Najd to an entertaining 5-2 victory over Al-Ittihad away from home on Tuesday to move to within seven points of leaders Al-Hilal. While Al-Hilal may keep winning, their Riyadh rivals are also showing that they can keep in touch with the pacesetters at the top of the table.
Luis Castro’s troops have been on a tear in their past few games. They have bounced back well from their defeat at the hands of Al-Hilal at the start of the month. The visitors’ team is currently on a three-game winning streak and would like to kick off the new year with a victory.
Team News & Tactics
Al-Taawoun
Against Al-Nassr, Al-Taawoun will be bolstered by the return to the fold of Fahad Al-Abdulrazzaq, who replaced Mutah Faqeehi in the last game. Despite the setback in their last game, it was not for their efforts, and head coach Pericles Chamusca can deploy the same lineup against Cristiano Ronaldo and co.
Despite not having the vast resources of the top-four teams, Chamusca has well-drilled his side, with his philosophy of having the ball as much as possible and winning it as soon as possible reflected in his team.
The hosts will almost solely rely on the creative brilliance of Spanish attacking midfielder Alvaro Medran, who will serve the dangerous strike-force comprising Musa Barrow, Joao Pedro, and Mateus Castro. Brazilian forward Pedro, in particular, has been a formidable force for Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Pro League, with eight goals in 13 matches, showcasing his clinical finishing and offensive prowess.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Mailson; Al-Oyayari, Girotto, Al-Salui, Faqeehi; El Mahdioui, Medeiros, Medran; Barrow, Pedro, Castro
Al-Nassr
Nawaf Boushal missed the game against Al-Ittihad on Tuesday and will remain sidelined once again here, with Alex Telles retaining his spot at left-back. There also remains uncertainty around the availability of veteran goalkeeper David Ospina, who has yet to be registered for the side.
Luis Castro went with the same starting lineup on Boxing Day that he had picked in their 3-1 victory over Al-Ettifaq, and barring any fresh injury concerns, he would stick with his winning formula for this game.
An unchanged central defensive pairing of Aymeric Laporte and Ali Mohammed Lajami is expected in front of backup goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi. Telles will be the left-back, while ever-present Al-Ghannam will keep his spot on the opposite side of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Seko Fofana and Marcelo Brozovic have proven to be a rock-solid pairing in the double pivot and are unlikely to be dropped anytime soon by Castro.
Ronaldo’s form and consistency have been nothing short of extraordinary, showcasing that age is no barrier to excellence. The Al-Nassr skipper’s scoring prowess, combined with his influence on and off the pitch, makes him a force in the visitors’ attack, supported by the brilliant attacking weaponry of Anderson Talisca, Sadio Mane, and Otavio.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Al-Aqidi; Al-Ghannam, Ali Lajami, Laporte, Telles; Fofana, Brozovic; Talisca, Otavio, Mane; Ronaldo
Key Stats
- Across all competitions, Al-Taawoun and Al-Nassr have faced off 32 times. In the head-to-head record, the visitors hold a 22-6 lead in victories, with only four games ending in draws.
- Al-Taawoun have lost four of their last six Saudi Pro League matches against Al-Nassr.
- Al-Taawoun have conceded nine goals in five of their last six games.
- Al-Nassr scored 11 goals in their last six matches, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading as the top scorer with 19 goals.
- The Knights of Najd have not kept a clean sheet in their last six matches.
Player to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo
It has been a momentous year for the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo as he turned around his fortunes at Al-Nassr following a mixed spell back at Manchester United.
The Portuguese superstar just cannot stop dominating football and bagging goals for fun, even after leaving Europe. Following his brace in Al-Nassr’s 5-2 win against Al-Ittihad, he became the top scorer for the 2023 calendar year. With this feat, the Portuguese superstar has now scored 53 goals, pipping the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane.
With his goalscoring heroics making headlines in the football world for more than 15 years, his quality in terms of making a goal often goes unnoticed. He has provided 15 assists this year as well, bringing his overall goal contribution to 68 for 2023, and that too in just 58 matches. Needless to say, he is crucial to Al-Nassr’s title hopes this season and will look to add to his incredible tally.
Prediction
Al-Taawoun 1-2 Al-Nassr
Despite a loss in their last game, Al-Taawoun cannot be taken lightly. Despite not having a star-studded squad, Al-Taawoun play a fairly attacking tactic that relies on suffocating the opposition off the ball, so they will pose a big threat to Al-Nassr. However, with things going their way as of late, Al-Nassr should come out on top at the final whistle.
