German coach Matthias Jäissle, manager of the Al-Ahli Saudi FC first team, has decided to include Mohamed Bakr in the official squad for the upcoming match against Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai of the UAE, in the AFC Champions League. This decision marks the player's return to the team after a period of forced absence from recent matches due to the death of his father, which necessitated granting him special leave.

The German coach had previously preferred to exclude Mohammed Bakr from the team's roster that faced Al Shabab in the local competitions, citing the player's lack of complete mental and physical readiness following the emergency situation he went through, preferring to give him enough time to recover before returning to the atmosphere of high-level competitive matches.

Al Ahli is scheduled to host Shabab Al Ahli Dubai at 7:00 PM on Monday in a crucial match that will conclude the group stage of the new "Elite" edition of the continental championship. This match is of particular importance to both teams as they strive to improve their standings before entering the knockout rounds.

Al-Ahli enters this match in second place in their group with 14 points. The team has delivered impressive performances in previous rounds, securing their qualification, but they aim to close the gap or at least maintain their second-place position behind leaders Al-Hilal, who are currently five points ahead. Al-Ahli hopes to capitalize on home advantage in Jeddah to finish the group stage on a high note, providing a significant morale boost for the players and coaching staff.

On the other side, the Emirati visitors, Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai, enter the match in sixth place with 11 points. For them, this game is an opportunity to boost their points tally and climb the standings, thus securing a more balanced opponent in the next round. Matches between Saudi Arabia and the UAE are always fiercely contested and exciting, reflecting the development of football in both countries and the intense competition for Asian supremacy.

The return of Mohammed Bakr bolsters coach Yassle's defensive options at this crucial stage of the season, as competing on multiple fronts (domestic and continental) necessitates a strong bench and the readiness of all key and reserve players. Al-Ahli fans eagerly anticipate this match, hoping for another victory that reaffirms the team's dominance in Asian competitions.

The official squad list for Al-Nassr FC brought welcome news for the club's fans, as Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo returned to lead the team in their highly anticipated match against Al-Fateh, scheduled for Saturday evening as part of the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League. This return adds significant excitement to the encounter, in which Al-Nassr will be a formidable opponent for Al-Fateh in what is considered one of the most important matches of the round.

Details of Al-Nasr's formation and the return of their striking force

Coach Jorge Jesus announced the official lineup for the match, which featured a sweeping attacking style aimed at securing all three points. The star-studded lineup is as follows:

• Goalkeeper: Pinto.
• Defense line: Abdul-Ilah Al-Amri, Lisandro Martinez, Mohammed Simakan, and Sultan Al-Ghannam.
• Midfield: Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Marcelo Brozovic, and Joao Felix.
• Attack line: Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The importance of Ronaldo's return and the impact of his absence

Cristiano Ronaldo had missed the team's last three matches, including crucial encounters in the Roshan League and the AFC Champions League. His absence significantly impacted the team's attacking prowess, making his return today a tremendous morale and tactical boost for his teammates and the fans eagerly awaiting his goals. Ronaldo's inclusion in the starting lineup alongside Sadio Mane and Ronald Koeman is a clear indication from the coaching staff of their desire to apply early pressure and score goals to secure a positive result away from home.

Competition context of the Roshan League

This match takes on special significance in the context of the battle for the top spot in the Saudi League, which has become a global focus thanks to attracting some of the world's biggest football stars. The three points against Al-Fateh are not just a number; they are a crucial step for Al-Nassr to maintain their title hopes and close the gap with the league leaders, especially as the competition intensifies in the final stretch of the season. The Saudi League is witnessing unprecedented qualitative development, and every match has become a cup final with no room for error.

A tough match against Al-Fateh

On the other hand, Al-Nassr knows that facing Al-Fateh on their home ground will be no easy task. Al-Fateh boasts exceptional players and excels against top teams, demanding that Al-Nassr maintain caution and high concentration throughout the ninety minutes. The lineup chosen by Jesus reflects a balance between defensive solidity, anchored by Simakan and Martinez, and playmaking ability through Brozovic and Felix, to supply the formidable attacking trio led by Ronaldo.

The twenty-second (22) round of the Yelo First Division Professional League witnessed great football excitement and fluctuations in results on Saturday evening, as three decisive matches were held that directly affected the standings, whether in the struggle for promotion or to escape the specter of relegation.

Al-Ta'i deepens Al-Jubail's wounds with a clean four-goal victory

In one of the most exciting matches of the round, Al-Tai dominated their encounter with Al-Jubail at Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaed bin Jalawi Stadium. The "Knights of the North" secured a resounding 4-0 victory, further solidifying their position in the mid-table.

Al-Tai's four goals were scored by Machado in the 58th minute, Torles Knoll who scored twice in the 72nd and 90+3 minutes, and Hussein Al-Shurafa in the 78th minute. This resounding victory raised Al-Tai's points tally to 28, placing them ninth in the standings, while Al-Jubail's woes deepened as they remained stuck at the bottom of the table with only 8 points, making their chances of avoiding relegation from the First Division even more precarious.

A thrilling comeback for Arabism in the face of justice

In a nail-biting match that went down to the wire, Al-Oruba snatched a valuable and hard-fought draw at home against Al-Adalah, with the final score being 2-2. Al-Adalah started the match strongly, surprising the home side with two goals, one by Chivavero Ranga in the 27th minute and the other by Abdulaziz Al-Jamaan in the 38th minute.

However, Al-Oruba refused to give up, narrowing the gap through Ahmed Al-Jwaid in the 56th minute, before the decisive moment came in the 90+6th minute with Abdulrahman Hindi scoring the dramatic equalizer. With this result, Al-Oruba maintained their strong position in the promotion race, reaching 44 points in third place, while Al-Adalah raised their tally to 16 points in sixteenth place.

Al-Zulfi defeats Al-Bukairiyah on their home turf

In the opening match of the day, Al-Zulfi secured a crucial away victory against Al-Bukairiyah, winning 3-1. Hamza Barry (23'), Diego Miranda (61'), and Abdulaziz Al-Shuraid (89') scored for Al-Zulfi, while Jonathan Moya (76') netted Al-Bukairiyah's lone goal. Al-Zulfi climbed to 10th place with 28 points, while Al-Bukairiyah remained in 6th place with 33 points.

The importance of the round and its impact on the competition

These results are of paramount importance in the league context, as the battle for the three promotion spots in the Yellow League is heating up this season. Al-Oruba's point today could prove crucial in securing one of those promotion places, while heavy losses for bottom-ranked teams like Al-Jubail put them under immense pressure as the final third of the season approaches, making recovery increasingly difficult with each passing round.

The day's competitions conclude with a match between Jeddah and Al-Batin at 7 pm, in which both sides will seek to improve their positions in the standings.