Al-Nassrvs.Al Fayha

The Knight of Najd recorded an emphatic 4-0 victory over United Arab Emirates side Al Wasl in the AFC Champions League on Monday, bringing their points tally to 16 after five wins, one draw and a loss.

Match preview

Al Nassr enter this encounter in red-hot form, having swept aside Al Wasl in a commanding display, with Ali Alhassan opening the scoring in the 25th minute before a Cristiano Ronaldo brace in the 44th and 78th minutes and a Mohammed Al Fatil strike sealed a resounding victory, extending the Big Yellows' winning streak to four matches across all competitions.

That run also includes three consecutive victories in the Saudi Pro League, with the Sun Club securing 3-1 triumphs against Al Khaleej and Al Fateh before beating Al Raed 2-1 in their most recent outing.

Their latest league victory was their sixth on the road, leaving Stefano Pioli's side as the best away side in the division, with the result also lifting them to third place with 38 points, edging Al Quadisiya on goal difference.

However, the climb to the top remains steep, with the Big Yellow, despite their recent surge, still struggling to keep pace with the blistering Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, who both sit eight points ahead.

A key factor in Al-Nassr's inability to close the gap has been their inconsistency at home, where they have dropped points in four of their nine matches, collecting just 18 of a possible 27.

In stark contrast, the top two teams have been flawless on home soil, with Al Ittihad winning all 10 of their fixtures while Al Hilal have triumphed in each of their nine.

Given their dominant record against the visitors on home soil, with eight victories in the last nine such encounters, Al-Nassr could have all three points written across their chests as they aim to narrow the gap on the league's pacesetters.

For Al Fayha, facing such an opponent at this time — one that has beaten them in the last five meetings — is far from ideal for a team looking to rediscover its footing.

The Orange have failed to win either of their last two encounters, losing 2-1 to Al Shabab before playing out a goalless draw against Al Taawoun last weekend.

This raises fears of another prolonged slump for Tawahin Sudair, who went nine top-flight matches without victory before Pedro Emmanuel took over the reins on December 10 following the departure of former boss Christos Kontis.

Al Fayha seemed to have discovered a spark in the Pro League, with Pedro going unbeaten in his first three games, securing a draw and two triumphs, but following the Orange's recent two-match winless stretch, they now sit 13th in the standings, just two points above the relegation zone.

While Al-Burtuqali have endured quite a turbulent campaign so far, their struggles on the road have been more pronounced, having picked up just seven points on their travels, leaving them as the third-worst away side in the division.

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

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W

D

W

W

W

Al-Nassr form (all competitions):

Al Fayha Saudi Pro League form:

D

D

W

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L

D

Al Fayha form (all competitions):

Team News

Sami Al Najei remains unavailable for the home side, continuing his recovery from a cruciate ligament tear sustained in August 2024.

Key defender Aymeric Laporte has also missed the last four matches for personal reasons, meaning Ali Lajami could once again partner Mohamed Simakan at the heart of the back four.

New signing Jhon Duran made his debut appearance against Al Wasl, and he could pair up again with talismanic captain Ronaldo in a two-man attack.

The veteran Portuguese attacker, who turned 40 on February 5, leads the league's scoring chart with 15 goals, two ahead of Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema in second, and he will aim to add more to his tally as he chases the coveted Golden Boot.

Nigerian forward Henry Onyekuru made his first start for Al Fayha this season in the previous game, having recovered from a severe injury sustained last April, and he could make the lineup once again on Friday.

Rakan Kaabi is a doubt for this encounter, having missed the last five games through injury, meaning Mansour Al Beshe will push for a sixth straight start.

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Bento; Boushal, Lajami, Simakan, Al Ghannam; Angelo, Brozovic, Alhassan, Mane; Duran, Ronaldo

Al Fayha possible starting lineup:

Mosquera; Al-Khaibari, Smalling, Al-Rashidi; Al-Baqawi, Al-Beshe, Shurukov, Abdi; Pozuelo, Sakala, Onyekuru

We say: Al-Nassr 3-0 Al Fayha

Al-Nassr are clear favourites heading into this encounter, buoyed by their strong recent form and dominance in this fixture.

Written by

Adeyeye Oluwapelumi

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