The first football team of Al-Ahli Club, under the technical leadership of the young German coach Matthias Jäissle, continued its impressive series of results during the current season of the Saudi Professional League, after it managed to achieve a valuable and well-deserved victory with two goals to nil against its guest, Al-Hazm team, in the match that brought them together on Thursday evening as part of the competitions of the twenty-first (21) round of the competition.

A historic achievement in Al-Raed's stronghold

The three points weren't Al-Ahli's only gain; the team also achieved a historic milestone, a testament to the coaching staff and players. This victory marks Al-Ahli's seventh consecutive home win in front of their fans, a first in the club's history in the Saudi Professional League. This record reflects the strong character instilled in the team by coach Matthias Jäissle, transforming Al-Ahli's stadium into an impregnable fortress where opponents struggle to secure a positive result.

The battle for the top spot and position in the standings

With this crucial victory over Al-Hazm, Al-Ahli raised their points tally to 47, temporarily climbing to second place in the Roshan League standings and closing the gap on their rivals. They are now just one point behind Al-Nassr, who have a game in hand, and three points behind league leaders Al-Hilal, intensifying the competition at the top of the table and confirming Al-Ahli's determination to seriously contend for the title this season.

A consistent career and impressive statistics for Yssel

Al-Ahly is progressing steadily and thoughtfully this season, as the numbers reflect the great technical work; the team has succeeded in achieving (14) victories out of (20) matches played so far, while it drew in (5) matches and suffered only one loss, making it one of the teams with the fewest defeats in the league.

Al Ahli had signed the 37-year-old German coach during the 2023/24 season, following a successful stint with Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg. Since taking over, Jacele has led Al Ahli in 117 matches across all competitions, achieving 76 wins, 19 draws, and 22 losses.

Integrated sports project

Yassle’s success is not limited to local numbers only, but his influence has extended to major achievements, as the German coach succeeded in leading the team to win the AFC Champions League and the Saudi Super Cup (according to the context of the news), which confirms the success of the club’s sports project in relying on the modern German school of training, which relies on high pressure and direct play, which restored Al-Ahli’s prestige locally and continentally.

In a surprising development that sparked widespread controversy in Saudi and international sports circles, the famous Italian journalist and transfer market expert, Fabrizio Romano, revealed the real reasons behind the absence of Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo from his team Al-Nassr's anticipated match against their traditional rival Al-Ittihad.

Romano confirmed via his official X account on Thursday evening that Ronaldo's exclusion from the "Clásico" squad was not due to the usual reasons that might come to mind. He clarified categorically that the absence was not related to any disagreements or problems with the coaching staff, led by the manager, or with the club's management. He also denied any muscle injury or physical problem that would prevent the "Madeira Rocket" from participating.

The reliable journalist wrote: "Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Al-Nassr's upcoming match against Al-Ittihad on Friday, as announced here last Monday. There are no issues with Al-Nassr's coaching or administrative staff, no injuries, and no physical problems." This statement added to the uncertainty surrounding the situation, especially since Ronaldo had recently missed group training sessions without official explanation, before appearing in Wednesday evening's training session, which gave fans hope of his participation before his absence was confirmed.

The importance of El Clásico and the impact of absence

The Al-Nassr vs. Al-Ittihad match holds immense historical and popular significance, as this "classic" encounter is considered a cornerstone of Saudi and Middle Eastern football. This match comes at a crucial time, with Al-Nassr striving to maintain their pursuit of the top spot, while Al-Ittihad aims to improve their position in the standings. The absence of a star of Ronaldo's caliber, the team's all-time leading scorer and captain, casts a shadow not only on Al-Nassr's attacking prowess but also on the media and fan buzz surrounding the match, which is eagerly anticipated by millions worldwide.

Looking at the Portuguese star's statistics this season, the expected impact of his absence becomes clear. The 41-year-old, despite his age, remains a key player in the team. He has participated in 22 matches for Al-Nassr across all competitions this season, scoring 18 goals and providing 3 assists for his teammates, totaling 1917 minutes of play, making him the team's most decisive element.

The battle for the top spot and the league standings

Al-Nassr enters this match in second place in the Roshan Professional League standings with 46 points, just one point behind league leaders Al-Hilal. A victory in this game is therefore crucial to maintaining their title challenge. Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad sits in sixth place with 34 points and is striving to return to the top four.

The match hosted by Al-Nasr is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 pm on Friday, as part of the (21) round competitions, amid great anticipation of how Al-Nasr's technical staff will deal with this significant absence in one of the most important matches of the season.

Leicester City, who wrote one of the greatest stories in modern football by winning the Premier League title in 2016, are facing an unprecedented existential crisis that could jeopardize their sporting future. The team is now genuinely threatened with relegation to League One (the third tier of English football) following an official decision on Thursday to deduct six points from their tally for breaching strict financial regulations.

This decision cast a dark shadow over Wolves' Championship campaign this season, causing the team to drop from 17th to 20th place in the standings. This decline has left the club teetering on the brink, only outside the relegation zone on goal difference, placing immense pressure on the players and coaching staff in the remaining matches to avert a sporting disaster.

Details of the financial crisis and rule violations

The independent investigations that led to the punishment revealed that Leicester City had exceeded the limits of English football's "profitability and sustainability rules." Reports indicated that the club exceeded the permitted loss limit by approximately £21 million (around $29 million) during the three-year evaluation period leading up to the 2024 season, the season in which the team provisionally returned to the Premier League.

The financial data paints a worrying picture for the club, with total losses exceeding £200 million over the three seasons from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Despite these figures, Leicester City's management expressed their dissatisfaction with the penalty, describing it in an official statement as "disproportionate" and indicating that the committee did not adequately consider the "mitigating factors" presented by the club. The club affirmed its commitment to engaging constructively to ensure a fair process.

From miracle to suffering: a historical context

This crisis takes on tragic dimensions when considering the club's recent history. In the 2015-2016 season, Leicester City stunned the world by winning the Premier League title for the first time in its history under Claudio Ranieri, an achievement described as a footballing miracle. Success continued with an FA Cup victory in 2021. However, the team's trajectory has been marked by sharp fluctuations; after being relegated from the Premier League in 2023, they made a swift return under Italian manager Enzo Maresca, only to be relegated again last season after a disappointing performance in which they managed only six wins in 38 matches.

The prospect of Leicester City being relegated to the third tier is not just a sporting loss, but an economic and moral blow that could take years to recover from, raising serious questions about the future of one of the most prominent English clubs of the last decade.