Neves: how Al Hilal's midfield maestro controlled Clasico

Aleksandar Mitrovic netted another brace, and Salem Al Dawsari one more sublime solo goal, but behind them Ruben Neves had provided the platform with a classic display to determine the Saudi Clasico.

The two assists were obvious cases of his contribution. The first, a curled cross from deep to locate Mitrovic between Al Ittihad defenders, allowed the Serbian to put Al Hilal 1-0 up in this early, top-of-the-table clash on Saturday night. The second, an inch-perfect long pass to release Al Dawsari after Neves had won back possession in his own penalty area, set free the Al Hilal captain to make it three for the hosts.

The clock at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium read only 37 minutes. Al Hilal were 3-0 up. Neves was integral to the first-half blitz, yet he offered so much more throughout. Later, as Roshn Saudi League champions Al Hilal dispatched title challengers Al Ittihad 3-1, the Portuguese midfielder was rightfully voted Man of the Match.

With the victory, the hosts supplanted their opponents at the summit of the standings, inflicting Al Ittihad’s first defeat of the 2024-25 campaign and concluding Matchweek 4 as the only team in the top flight with a 100 percent record intact this season.

Many of the plaudits, deservedly, went to Neves. If he has been a consistently crucial cog in Al Hilal's record-setting machine since his arrival in the summer of 2023 from English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, his most recent performance suggested that won't change through the remainder of 2024 and long into next year, too.

On Saturday, in the white-hot heat of the Clasico, Neves led the way across a variety of key metrics. According to Opta, his 72 passes ranked the highest of any player on the pitch, as did his 89 touches – underlining his heavy influence.

Also, Neves stood out in front for chances created, with four, while he boasted a 100% success rate for his six attempted dribbles. Emphasising the Portugal international's comprehensive showing, his six ball recoveries was second only to Al Ittihad defender Abdulelah Al Amri.

Indeed, it was an all-action display. Tellingly, that Neves was able to exert such control against a narrow Al Ittihad central midfield containing Fabinho, N’Golo Kante and Houssem Aouar, and in an encounter with so much riding on it even four rounds into the 2024-25 RSL, speaks to not only to his talent, but his temperament as well.

It continues a theme this season. More broadly, Neves lies third in chances created thus far, with 10 in four RSL matches (Al Nassr’s Sadio Mane has 11, while Al Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby leads the way with 13).

Meanwhile, Neves is fourth for passes in the opposition half, with 153 – Al Taawoun’s Aschraf El Mahdioui is out in front (190) – but second in that category in terms of success rate, behind only Mahdioui, with 88.9%.

Undeniably, Neves will be pivotal to Al Hilal's hopes this term of retaining the RSL crown. Maintain his exceptional 2024-25 start - well, keep up his impact since joining the Riyadh club - and Neves could well end the campaign with a second successive championship success.

A playmaker who sets the team's tempo, he is Al Hilal's midfield maestro, orchestrating from the centre of the park, able to lock Jorge Jesus' side in near-perfect harmony. As his Clasico contribution this past matchweek conveyed, Neves represents very much the RSL champions' conductor-in-chief.