Pioli gets first taste of home, colossal clash on East Coast

Matchweek 5 of the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League kicks into action on Friday with three incredibly interesting fixtures, including a huge battle on the East Coast.

Check out our preview as we give you the lowdown on what to look out far to start off your RSL weekend.

Al Nassr v Al Wehda

Al Awwal Park at King Saud University, Riyadh - KICK-OFF 18:20 

After marking his RSL debut with a magnificent 3-0 win at Al Ettifaq, new Al Nassr manager Stefano Pioli will get a first glimpse of the Saudi top flight at what is now his home.

Having dished out Al Ettifaq’s first defeat of the season, the Italian’s side look to maintain their unbeaten 2024-25 and, perhaps most importantly, keep moving up the table. Currently, Al Nassr sit fifth, four points behind leaders, and RSL champions, Al Hilal.

In Al Wehda, they host a team seeking to rebound from damaging, back-to-back losses: the 7-1 “Old Derby” defeat to Al Ittihad in Matchweek 3 and then, last time out, the hugely disappointing 1-0 reverse at home to RSL debutants Al Kholood.

There has been some relief since, though: on Sunday, Al Wehda came through the King’s Cup last-32 clash with First Division League side Al Faisaly – even if they required a penalty shootout to do so. Al Nassr, meanwhile, saw off Al Hazem 2-1 on Monday.

Fair to say it won't be easy for Al Wehda in Friday's early kick-off. Al Nassr are unbeaten in their past seven RSL matches against the Mecca outfit, winning six of those – including the most recent four.

Get your tickets for Al Nassr v Al Wehda HERE 

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Al Ittihad v Al Khaleej

King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah - KICK-OFF 21:00 

After that scintillating 7-1 victory in “The Old Derby”, Al Ittihad were hoping to build upon that in Matchweek 4 by snapping Al Hilal’s record unbeaten streak. However, they ended up on the receiving end of a 3-1 defeat in Riyadh. Saturday’s Saudi Clasico pitted against one another the top two teams in the table but it was Al Hilal who supplanted their Jeddah rivals at the summit.

The positive for Al Ittihad, though, could be Karim Benzema’s form: the Al Ittihad captain sits second in the scoring charts with five goals, with four coming in his past two RSL outings.

For Al Khaleej, they have endured a frustrating past month or so, as Monday’s extra-time defeat in the King’s Cup to second-tier side Al Tai made it four matches without victory. Three of those have been losses.

The 0-0 draw at home to Al Fayha on Matchweek 4 stretched an unwelcome statistic: an Al Khaleej player is yet to score this campaign (an own goal sealed their win in Matchweek 1).

There’s another couple of stats against Georgios Donis' side heading into the game at King Abdullah Sports City: in 18 RSL attempts, Al Khaleej have never beaten a team from Jeddah, while Al Ittihad have won seven and drawn three of their past 10 top-flight encounters.

Get your tickets for Al Ittihad v Al Khaleej HERE

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Al Qadsiah v Al Ahli

Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam - KICK-OFF 21:00 

The RSL loves to throw up as many juicy match-ups as possible, and Friday night in Dammam is no different. After celebrating their return to the lead division with successive wins, Al Qadsiah have taken a single point from their past two, including the stalemate at Al Okhdood in Matchweek 4.

However, there was something to cheer about on Sunday: Michel’s men negotiated their way into the last-16 of the King’s Cup with a 4-1 triumph against fellow RSL new boys Al Orobah. What’s more, summer signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened his account, finally, for the club.

This weekend, Aubameyang will reacquaint himself with Al Ahli striker Ivan Toney, with the pair having faced one another in the English Premier League a few years ago, while at Chelsea and Brentford, respectively.

Tony has begun life in the Saudi top tier rather well: he bagged a brace in last Friday’s 4-2 home victory against Damac, his second Al Ahli appearance. There was another goal in the King’s Cup on Monday, although Matthias Jaissle’s side suffered a huge upset loss to First Division League club Al Jandal (2-1) to exit the competition.

There would be no better tonic, then, than getting back to winning ways against an Al Qadsiah who, like Al Ahli, are determined to challenge at the summit of the RSL. Given all that, this should be a hugely entertaining affair on the East Coast. Even more so, considering none of their previous 16 RSL matches against one another has ended in a draw (Al Ahli 13 wins, Al Qadsiah 3).

Get your tickets for Al Qadsiah v Al Ahli HERE