Al-Nassr vs Al Draih – News and Probable Lineups

Al-Nassr Football Club will be facing Diriyah Club at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh this Friday as the Saudi Pro League resumes following the international hiatus.

Last season’s champions, managed by Ange Postecoglou, are positioned third in the Saudi Pro League standings with 16 points acquired from seven fixtures, trailing leaders Al-Hilal by two points, whereas the newly promoted Diriyah managed by Bruno Lage finds themselves in eighth place with 11 points from their debut season in the Pro League.

Match overview

Al-Nassr started their title defense with a strong 3-0 victory over Al-Fateh, but the day took a turn for the worse when key left-back Saad Al-Nasser departed the pitch within 17 minutes due to a hamstring injury.

Following that, they secured three more wins in the league, first against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ettifaq away, then at home against Al-Taawoun, until their unbeaten record was broken on September 5, when a brace from George Ilenikhena in the opening 22 minutes handed Al-Ittihad a 2-1 victory in Jeddah, despite a response from Angelo Gabriel.

In response, Postecoglou’s team rebounded with a 2-1 win over Abha, where Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opener, but they were held to a 1-1 draw at Al-Khaleej when Abdullah Al-Hamdan equalized in the 72nd minute after Omar Mascarell’s first-half goal put them ahead.

In a bigger setback, Al-Nassr faced a 4-0 defeat by Al-Ain in their opening match of the AFC Champions League Elite. This resulted in an internal review of Postecoglou’s coaching position and a tumultuous press conference where he defended his captain.

The recent headlines have focused on Ronaldo after he exited Portugal’s Nations League training camp in Copenhagen on September 30, following a disagreement with national-team coach Jorge Jesus concerning playtime, having been benched during a win against Noruega after being informed he would participate.

The Portuguese Football Federation has yet to announce any penalties, though their own disciplinary guidelines permit a suspension of one to six months for unauthorized withdrawal from international duty. On October 6, Ronaldo acknowledged in a statement that he accepts the need for sanctions and does not desire any leniency on penalties.

He returned to Riyadh on October 4, resuming Al-Nassr training the next day. Thus, Friday’s game will mark his first appearance for both club and country since the incident, with his career tally still at 979 goals, leaving him 21 short of the 1,000 milestone.

This season, Ronaldo has netted three goals in seven appearances in the Saudi Pro League, a return that is rather modest compared to his usual standards.

Diriyah is making their debut in the Saudi Pro League after achieving promotion through last season’s First Division play-offs. Bruno Lage was appointed in July to lead the team following a brief period under interim coach Khaled Al-Atwi.

Lage, who previously led Benfica to a Primeira Liga title in the 2018-19 season and has managed Wolverhampton Wanderers and Botafogo, has directed Diriyah to three wins, two draws, and two losses from their first seven top-flight encounters.

Their results include a 0-1 defeat on the opening day to Al-Ahli, a 1-1 draw at home against Al-Kholood, a 3-0 win away at Al-Ettifaq, a 0-2 loss at home to Al-Qadsiah, and a 2-1 victory at Al-Fateh, followed by a goalless draw against Abha on September 13.

Darwin Nunez has been pivotal in the momentum Diriyah have generated, the Uruguayan forward joining on a season-long loan from Al-Hilal in August and scoring three times in five league matches since.

Nunez is supported by experienced teammates such as Idrissa Gueye, Chancel Mbemba, and Berat Djimsiti, all of whom possess Pro League or broader European experience that is often lacking in newly-promoted squads.

In their previous encounter in August during the King’s Cup, Diriyah had a difficult experience, suffering a 4-1 defeat at Al-Awwal Park. Although Oscar Rodriguez scored an early goal for the visitors, Joao Felix’s brace and additional strikes ensured Al-Nassr progressed to the round of 16.

Diriyah can anticipate a reunion of sorts during their visit to Riyadh, as their manager shares the same nationality as Al-Nassr’s captain and has observed how his team struggled against one of Ronaldo’s standout performances from earlier in the season.

Team News

Ronaldo took part in training with the team for the first time since departing the Portugal camp on October 5 and is anticipated to be match-ready, although Postecoglou may be cautious with his playing time due to recent travel and events.

Rakan Al-Ghamdi (sprained knee ligament and cartilage bruise) and Salem Al-Najdi (recovering from nasal surgery following an injury sustained against Abha on September 9) continue to be the club’s longest-term absentees and are unlikely to feature.

Sultan Al-Ganam has begun the running and rehabilitation phase following anterior cruciate ligament surgery in Doha.

Saad Al-Nasser returned to full training on October 1 after his hamstring injury, but it seems premature for him to start again this weekend. Kingsley Coman and Abdulrahman Ghareeb have both been training regularly since September 30 and are available for selection.

On Diriyah’s side, Lage reported no new fitness issues ahead of the match in Riyadh, with the defensive core of Mbemba, Djimsiti, and Gueye having played in most of their Pro League fixtures this season.

Nunez is expected to lead the attack once more after participating in all five of his games since his loan move, with Adil Boulbina and Abdulellah Al-Malki being the next most effective offensive options, contributing two goals and one goal respectively.

Oscar Rodriguez will serve his suspension following his red card for violent conduct during the loss against Al-Qadsiah.

Al-Nassr probable starting XI:

Bento; Al-Boushal, Simakan, Martinez, Al-Amri; Angelo, Samu Costa, Al-Khaibari, Mane; Joao Felix, Ronaldo

Al Draih probable starting XI:

Vasilj; Al-Faraj, Mbemba, Djimsiti, Al-Sibyani; Gueye, Millot, Al-Malki; Diandy, Boulbina, Nunez

Al-Nassr has already scored four goals against Diriyah once this season, and a Diriyah side still adapting to the standard of the Pro League represents a more manageable challenge compared to the attacks from Al-Ittihad or Al-Ain that have posed recent difficulties for them.

Diriyah has demonstrated resilience with a couple of draws and a narrow away win in their last four league encounters. However, Nunez alone may not suffice to restrain a home squad eager to mitigate the implications of their continental exit and keen to ensure Ronaldo’s return is smoother than what his recent absence suggests.

Anticipate that the trio of Ronaldo, Joao Felix, and Sadio Mane will find pathways through a defense that has conceded goals in five of Diriyah’s seven league matches this season, with the final score reflecting the disparity in squad quality rather than the visitors’ efforts.