Al-Ettifaq fans are experiencing a state of intense anticipation and growing anxiety as they await the decisions of the Saudi Professional League's Sustainability Committee regarding the contract renewal of veteran Dutch star Georginio Wijnaldum. These concerns stem from the club's strong desire to maintain stability within its technical and administrative staff.

The Dutch midfielder's current contract with Al-Ettifaq expires at the end of the 2025-2026 season, making time a crucial factor in determining his future. The club's management has submitted a formal request to the Sustainability Committee, the body responsible for overseeing the financial and contractual aspects of clubs to ensure fairness and financial solvency, to renew his contract. The management is currently awaiting approval to finalize the deal officially.

Shared desire and distinctive numbers

It is worth noting that negotiations between the club and the player are progressing very positively, with Georginio Wijnaldum expressing a strong welcome and initial agreement to remain with the club and continue his career with the team. This positive reception reflects the stability and comfort the Dutch star feels in Dammam, and his alignment with the club's sporting project.

On the technical level, Wijnaldum is delivering remarkable performances this season, having directly contributed to 16 goals for Al-Ettifaq in this season's competitions, scoring 12 goals and creating 4 other goals for his teammates, making him one of the most influential midfielders in the league and one of the indispensable pillars in the team's lineup.

General context and importance of renewal

This move by Al-Ettifaq's management comes as part of Saudi clubs' efforts to retain their international stars, who were brought in to raise the market and technical value of the Saudi Professional League. Wijnaldum, who arrives with extensive experience from Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, is considered a vital element in the club's plans to compete for top positions.

The sustainability committee plays a pivotal role at this stage, as its regulations aim to ensure clubs do not exceed their allocated budgets, thus preventing future debt crises. Therefore, the committee's approval is not merely a formality, but rather a testament to the club's financial solvency to cover the costs of the new contract without disrupting its financial stability.

Keeping Wijnaldum would not only be a technical asset on the pitch, but his influence would extend to being a leader and mentor to the team's younger players, who would benefit from his vast international experience. Al-Ettifaq fans hope this matter will be resolved quickly to ensure the team's full focus on the remaining matches of the season and to continue building for the future.

Al-Hilal's Italian coach, Simone Inzaghi, has finalized his starting lineup for the upcoming match against Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai in the AFC Champions League. These tactical choices come amidst exceptional circumstances for the team, namely the absence of three key players, prompting the coach to make wholesale changes to ensure the team's technical and physical readiness.

Al-Hilal's position in the AFC Champions League

Al-Hilal enters this match in a very comfortable position, sitting alone at the top of their group in the continental championship with a perfect record. The team has secured all 18 points from their previous matches, guaranteeing their early and official qualification for the quarter-finals, reflecting the team's formidable strength and their desire to reclaim the continental title.

Al-Hilal's expected lineup against Shabab Al-Ahli

Based on recent training sessions and available players, Inzaghi is expected to field a lineup that combines experience with world-class talent. The predicted list is as follows:

• Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou.
• Defense line: Akchichek, Pablo Mari, Hassan Tambakti.
• Midfield: Theo Hernandez, Mohamed Kanno, Ruben Neves, Sergej Savic.
• Attack line: Malcolm, Darwin Nunez, Meite.

The importance of the match despite qualification being secured

Although the match may seem mathematically inconsequential for Al-Hilal after securing qualification, it holds significant importance both technically and psychologically. Coach Inzaghi's staff aims to maintain their winning streak to boost player confidence and foster greater cohesion between the new and established players, especially with the inclusion of names like Darwin Núñez and Theo Hernandez in the starting lineup.

The match also represents an ideal opportunity to test the readiness of substitutes and returning players, to ensure the availability of a strong bench capable of making a difference in the decisive knockout stages, as all eyes are always on Al-Hilal as the top candidate for the title thanks to its long history and its dominance of Asian competitions in recent years.

The curtain has fallen on the 21st round of the Saudi Professional League, a round filled with exciting events and remarkable statistics, confirming the fierce competition in one of the most intense seasons in the league's history. The standings saw no major changes at the top, with the leading trio maintaining their dominance. The points gap between Al-Hilal in first place, Al-Nassr in second, and Al-Ahli in third remains unchanged, as all three secured victories in their respective matches. This reflects the strong desire of the top clubs to avoid dropping any points at this crucial stage of the league.

In contrast, Al-Qadisiyah experienced a slight setback this round, as their performance dipped after being held to a draw by Al-Fateh, slowing their progress towards the top of the table. This round was characterized by a high level of tactical awareness and discipline, with no red cards issued in any of the nine matches. This is a positive indicator reflecting the players' commitment and high level of concentration on the pitch, despite the 40 yellow cards shown, which reflected physical play and challenges that remained within the bounds of sportsmanship.

The race for the Golden Boot heats up in Ronaldo's absence

On an individual level, the race for the Golden Boot has seen some exciting twists. English striker Ivan Tony of Al-Ahli has taken the lead in the scoring charts with 19 goals, capitalizing on his excellent form. In a surprising turn of events, Mexican striker Julian Quiñones of Al-Qadisiyah has jumped to second place with 18 goals, confirming his status as a valuable addition and a fierce competitor this season. Meanwhile, Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al-Nassr, has slipped to third place with 17 goals, affected by his absence from his team's last two matches against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad, which has allowed his rivals to overtake him.

The language of numbers: discipline and effectiveness

Statistically, the round saw 21 goals scored in 9 matches, averaging 2.33 goals per game. This average is considered average compared to the league's overall average of around 4 goals, indicating improved defensive organization among the clubs this round. Seven matches ended in victory, while two ended in draws with goals scored, and there were no goalless draws.

Round 21 statistics summary:
• Number of matches: 9
• Wins: 7
• Goals scored: 21
• Yellow cards: 40
• Red cards: 0
• Penalties: 1 (successfully scored)

Looking at the overall figures for the league so far, 180 matches have been played, witnessing 528 goals scored at a very high rate (3.93 goals/match), 58 red cards and 701 yellow cards were shown, and 74 penalty kicks were awarded, which confirms that the Saudi Roshan League offers a rich football feast that combines high scoring and high competitiveness.