Fresh off the back of their heartbreaking AFC Champions League exit, Al-Nassr make the trip to King Abdullah Sports City to take on Al-Ahli in round 24 of the Saudi Professional League on Friday.
The blockbuster fixture in the Saudi Pro League this weekend will see Al-Ahli take on Al-Nassr at the King Abdullah Sports City on Friday evening.
Coached by former Red Bull Salzburg boss Matthias Jaissle, Al-Ahli have enjoyed a much-improved last few months as they sit in the top three, just six points shy of their upcoming opponents in second place.
After dropping points at home against Al-Fateh, they bounced back to winning ways in their most recent outing, edging past high-flying Al Taawon 1-0 last weekend. They now take on an Al-Nassr side reeling off the back of their loss in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals on penalties to Al-Ain in midweek.
In the end, after a night full of drama, penalties, and eventual heartbreak, it was just not to be for Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo. They at least offered their supporters a performance to be proud of on Monday, as well as a glimpse of what could have been.
The Saudi Arabian club found themselves 3-0 down on aggregate to Al-Ain early in the second leg of this AFC Champions League quarter-final. What seemed like ages later, and when needed most, Ronaldo kept his cool from the penalty spot deep into extra time to give Al-Nassr a 4-3 win on the night (and make it 4-4 on aggregate) and take the game to penalties, when they finally succumbed to the UAE giants.
Prior to that, the visitors drew 4-4 with Al-Hazm, and also suffered a surprise 3-1 loss at home to Al-Raed last weekend. They will be desperate to get themselves back to winning ways against Al-Ahli here.
Team News & Tactics
Al-Ahli
Al-Ahli midfielder Abdullah Otayf has been sidelined since last August due to a cruciate ligament injury, and the 31-year-old is still out of contention, while Spanish playmaker Gabri Veiga is currently recovering from an ankle issue, and the former Celta Vigo prospect is set to miss his fourth straight game since mid-February.
Matthias Jaissle will retain his 4-2-3-1 formation and is unlikely to make any personnel tweaks from the last game. Abdulbasit Ali Hindi will likely partner Merih Demiral at the heart of the back four, flanked by Ali Majrashi and Saad Balobaid in a flat back four as they look to keep Cristiano Ronaldo and co. at bay. Edouard Mendy’s form in between the sticks has improved vastly in recent weeks.
In midfield, Ali Al-Asmari and Franck Kessie will form the double pivot. Up front, Ahli will rely on the trio of Allan Saint-Maximin, Riyad Mahrez, and Roberto Firmino to conjure up magic moments, with 23-year-old striker Feras Al-Buraikan spearheading the mesmerising, tremendously skilled, and deadly attacking lineup.
With bags of Premier League experience and quality, the former three need no introduction. Al-Buraikan has 12 goals and six assists to his name in the league, including the winner against Al-Taawoun last time out.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Mendy; Balobaid, Hindi, Demiral, Majrashi; Kessie, Al-Asmari; Saint-Maximin, Firmino, Mahrez; Al-Buraikan
Al-Nassr
Al-Nassr boss Luis Castro will have make do without the services of Brazilian forward Anderson Talisca, who has missed the last three matches after coming off with a muscle injury against Al-Hazem late last month.
He is joined in the treatment room by goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah, who is also set to sit out his fourth straight game as he has been sidelined by a leg problem. Raghed Al-Najjar will be the keeper for the Knights of Najd in this game.
Castro is set to line his side up in a 4-2-3-1 setup. Mohammed Al-Fatil could return to partner mainstay Abdulelah Al-Amri in central defence. Alex Telles and Ali Lajami will be the two marauding full-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Abdullah Al-Khaibari and Marcelo Brozovic have proven to be a formidable duo in the engine room and are set to hold their respective spots here. Castro could consider a change in attack, with Abdulrahman Ghareeb making way for Ayman Yahya. Otavio, Sadio Mane, and Cristiano Ronaldo will keep their places in attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Najjar; Lajami, Al-Amri, Fatil, Telles; Al-Khaibari, Brozovic; Mane, Otavio, Ghareeb; Ronaldo
Key Stats
- Three of Al-Ahli’s last five games have ended with both teams scoring.
- Al-Ahli have only failed to score in one of their last eight league games.
- Al-Nassr have only kept one clean sheet in their last ten games.
- Al-Ahli have been unbeaten at home for 11 consecutive games: seven wins and four draws.
- The hosts have suffered just one loss in their last 12 Saudi Pro League outings, recording seven wins and keeping eight clean sheets.
Player to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo is perched as the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer, with 22 goals in 20 appearances this season. But as much as he values the personal accolades, he clearly emphasised Al-Nassr’s success this season.
However, his prospects of winning silverware have been cut in half in only four days. Out of the Champions League, 12 points behind in the Pro League title race with 11 games left to play, Al-Nassr need a veteran Ronaldo to unleash his marvel superpowers in the final stretch of the season to have any chance of competing with Al-Hilal and capturing the King’s Cup and the Saudi Super Cup.
Prediction
Al-Ahli 2-2 Al-Nassr
Following a bitter Champions League exit, Al-Nassr will look for a morale-boosting outcome this weekend and close the gap between themselves and Al-Hilal. However, Al-Ahli have strung together a fine run of results in recent weeks, and we see them capitalising on the visitors’ slightly worse injury woes to play out an entertaining 2-2 draw in front of their home supporters.
