Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Preview: Al Ettifaq vs. Al-Nassr - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 13 August 2023, 13:15
The Saudi Pro League 2023-24 season gets underway this weekend, with Al Ettifaq hosting Al-Nassr on Monday evening.

The hosts will aim to improve on last season's seventh-placed finish, while Al-Nassr will expect to challenge after finishing second last time around.

Match preview

Having struggled to rediscover their glory days during the 1980's, when they won two domestic titles and two Arab Club Champions Cup's, Al Ettifaq have ramped up the initiative by appointing former England and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard as their new manager.

The 43-year-old, who began his managerial career in fine style by finally ending Rangers' Scottish Premiership drought in 2021 before going on to struggle with Aston Villa, has managed to attract his former international and club team-mate Jordan Henderson as The Commandos' most eye-catching summer signing for a fee in the region of £12m.

Former Lyon striker Moussa Dembele and Scotland defender Jack Hendry have also joined the club, with Sweden international Robin Quaison likely to be licking his lips at the prospect of playing alongside more established names within European footbal.

However, with several of the other more established teams in the Saudi Pro League spending significantly more money than Gerrard's side in recent times, their aspirations for the forthcoming campaign may need to be on the modest side if they are to avoid major disappointment.

Indeed, their forthcoming opponents Al-Nassr can call upon one of the greatest players the beautiful game has ever witnessed in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, while Sadio Mane will line-up alongside him in their attack after signing from Bayern Munich for around £25m earlier this month.

Seko Fofana, Marcelo Brozovic and Alex Telles have also been recruited to further improve their squad depth, with Luis Castro set to lead this highly talented unit after being poached from Botafogo last month.

The 61-year-old performed remarkably well in Brazil, helping Botafogo secure an incredibly healthy lead at the top of Serie A this season, while he is unbeaten from six matches in charge at his new team so far after lifting the Arab Club Champions Cup on Saturday.

Castro's side had trailed 1-0 to Al-Hilal following Michael's 51st-minute strike at the King Fahd Stadium, but cometh the hour, cometh the man as Ronaldo levelled the proceedings 16 minutes from the end of normal time, before bagging the winner during extra-time. The triumph was even more remarkable considering that Al-Nassr went down to nine men when Abdulelah Al-Amri and Nawaf Boushal both saw red late on.

After missing out on winning their 10th Saudi Pro League title by five points last season, Castro and his players will have genuine belief that they can help the club move into double figures in that respect this time around.

Al Ettifaq Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr form (all competitions):

L

L

D

D

Advert - content below:

Team News

Al Ettifaq are set to hand Henderson, Dembele and Hendry their competitive debuts on Monday, with Gerrard likely to hand Henderson the captaincy given his wealth of experience.

Quaison has bagged 13 goals in 47 league games since moving to Saudi Arabia in 2021, and he is likely to lead the hosts' attack alongside Dembele.

Al-Nassr, meanwhile, may be forced into making some changes with only around 48 hours to recover since beating Al-Hilal in the Arab Club Champions Cup final on Saturday, although Ronaldo will not want to be used from the substitutes' bench even though he will turn 39-years-old in February.

Pity Martinez and former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina are expected to remain sidelined through injury.

Al Ettifaq possible starting lineup:

Victor; Al-Mousa, Tisserand, Hendry, Al-Hawsawi; Al-Kuwaykibi, Henderson, Ozdemir, Vitinho; Dembele, Quaison

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Alaqidi; Al Ghanam, Alawjami, Alamri, Konan; Fofana, Brozovic, Al-Khaibari; Talisca, Ronaldo, Mane

We say: Al Ettifaq 1-1 Al-Nassr

With Al-Nassr having very little time to rest and recover due to their involvement in the Arab Club Champions Cup final on Saturday, Al Ettifaq will sense an opportunity to cause an upset on the opening weekend.

However, the visitors clearly have far more attacking firepower than Gerrard's side, and we believe they are more than capable of avoiding defeat at worst despite their clear disadvantage here.

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City are reportedly willing to sell defender Wout Faes in the January transfer window. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich director Christopher Freund has suggested that they would prefer to retain the services of Mathys Tel. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta refused to confirm reports that Gabriel Jesus had suffered an ACL injury, but the Gunners boss admitted once again that he is "very worried" about the Brazilian. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly rejected a lucrative offer for the signature of Darwin Nunez. 14 January 2025 talksport.com Arsenal are looking to reignite their long-term interest in Dusan Vlahovic, talkSPORT understands. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are reportedly open to parting ways with Axel Disasi before the end of the January transfer window. 14 January 2025 talksport.com Josh Keeley is one win away from facing the best goalscorer in England, Erling Haaland, having proven a dab hand at finding the net himself. 14 January 2025 talksport.com Nuno Espirito Santo should be named Manager of the year if Nottingham Forest qualify for the Champions League. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has suffered a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and is likely to miss the rest of the season, according to a report. 14 January 2025 talksport.com Gabriel Jesus is facing another lengthy spell on the sidelines to deal Arsenal a major injury blow. 14 January 2025 talksport.com Chelsea like to remind London rivals Tottenham let Willian slip through their grasp. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Trent Alexander-Arnold has at least temporarily silenced those who criticised him and suggested he is not committed to Liverpool, Reds expert David Lynch has argued. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Rio Ngumoha demonstrated why he has a bright future at Liverpool when Arne Slot's side beat Accrington Stanley 4-0 in the FA Cup last Saturday, according to Reds expert David Lynch 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe have one final chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk array(0) {} 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Holstein Kiel vs. Dortmund (Tuesday, 5.30pm) Under-pressure boss Nuri Sahin needs his Borussia Dortmund side to beat Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga on Tuesday when they travel to Holstein-Stadion. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Como vs. AC Milan (Tuesday, 5.30pm) Playing catch-up in the race for a top-four finish, AC Milan will seek their first Serie A win of the year when they make the short trip to Como on Tuesday. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford vs. Man City (Tuesday, 7.30pm) Kicking off a three-game road trip in the English capital, a revitalised Manchester City seek a fourth win on the spin in Tuesday's Premier League clash with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly made contact with Bayern Munich over a potential deal for forward Mathys Tel. 14 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk RKC Waalwijk and FC Utrecht will battle it out for a quarter-final berth in the 2024-25 KNVB Beker when they go head to head at the Mandemakers Stadion on Wednesday. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku is reportedly determined to join Bayern Munich in the winter transfer window. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk League-leaders Bayern Munich will hope to maintain their four-point advantage at the top of the Bundesliga table when they host Hoffenheim at Allianz Arena on Wednesday. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly reached an agreement with Palmeiras to sign teenage defender Vitor Reis. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk In a match that could have significant ramifications on the race for Champions League football in the Bundesliga, Stuttgart will welcome RB Leipzig to MHPArena on Wednesday. 13 January 2025 talksport.com Lazio have released a statement after sacking the eagle handler who has been part of their pre-match entertainment for over a decade. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Union Berlin will hope to distance themselves from the relegation zone when they welcome fellow strugglers Augsburg to Stadion An der Alten Forsterei in the Bundesliga on Wednesday. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk A place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals will be at stake when Barcelona face fellow La Liga side Real Betis in Wednesday's Copa del Rey clash. 13 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ligue 2 side Troyes will hope to cause an upset in the Coupe de France round of 32 when they host Ligue 1 club Rennes on Wednesday at Stade de l'Aube.