Head-to-Head: Key battles that could decide Saudi Clasico

A thrilling Friday night awaits in the Roshn Saudi League, with the two most successful clubs in the country, not to mention the current league leaders and the reigning champions, facing off in a match appropriately billed the Saudi Clasico.

Al Hilal host Al Ittihad at Kingdom Arena looking to extend their advantage at the summit to nine points, while their fifth-placed opponents are aiming to really kick-start an improved final few months of a frustrating RSL season.

We look at some of the key battles set to decide the outcome of a marquee match on the Saudi Arabian football calendar. 

Kalidou Koulibaly v Abderrazzaq Hamdallah

One of the season’s most accomplished defenders against the league’s in-form striker, something will have to give. Koulibaly has looked every inch the player who was named Serie A’s Best Defender in 2019. With the Senegalese centre-back at the heart of their defence, Al Hilal have conceded only 10 goals in the 2023-24 RSL – the best record in the division, by far.

Koulibaly will have to be at his finest, though, with Hamdallah enjoying an incredible run in front of goal. The 2018-19 RSL Golden Boot winner has struck nine times in his past seven league games, including a double in Matchweek 21 to turn around a win for his team. Can Koulibaly shackle the menacing Moroccan?

Malcom v Ahmed Hegazi

Of course, the absence through suspension of Aleksandar Mitrovic represents a huge loss for Al Hilal. The striker has been a revelation since joining last summer, his 19 goals second in the league only to Cristiano Ronaldo. However, should Malcom get the nod to lead the line, the tricky Brazilian with nine RSL goals will provide an altogether different challenge for Hegazi.

The Egyptian, who guided Al Ittihad to that long-awaited title last season, has missed a huge chunk of this campaign because of injury, playing only three RSL matches. Indeed, his league debut this season came in Matchweek 19. Yet Hegazi's value to the champions cannot be overstated. It’s no coincidence Al Ittihad have conceded only once since his return.

Ruben Neves v N’Golo Kante

While the respective midfields are packed full of talent – you could make another argument to include Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Fabinho – it is the Neves-Kante match-up that really whets the appetite. Neves has been one of the signings of the season, the central cog to this Al Hilal machine, who conducts play and controls tempo.

Although he can chip in with the spectacular (see his recent AFC Asian Champions League goal), it's his proficiency with a dead-ball that marks out Neves’ threat. Al Hilal have scored the most goals from set-pieces in the RSL this season, with 21.

It helps Al Ittihad, then, that they have a midfielder of Kante’s calibre. The World Cup winner has been a bright spark in an otherwise disappointing season for the RSL champions, and the all-energy Frenchman might be just the person to rein in Neves. 

Salem Al Dawsari v Fawaz Al Yami

For sure, the current AFC Asian Player of the Year cannot be overlooked. Al Dawsari has long been a standout for Al Hilal, and this season has proved no different. The Saudi international has 10 goals and two assists thus far in the RSL, with his sublime run and finish against Al Ettifaq last time out just another example of his undeniable talent.

With Mitrovic out, Al Dawsari’s contribution will be needed even more than usual. Much responsibility, then, falls on Al Yami. Given Al Dawsari likes to start off high on the left and move inside, Al Ittihad's new right-back will most likely be tasked with preventing one of the home side’s main attacking weapons.

Al Yami is an adroit defender, who is adept at going forward too, but he is still settling into the side following his winter move from Al Shabab. However, he will need to be on his game in the Clasico.