All eyes in Saudi football will be on the stadium on Saturday evening for the highly anticipated match between Al-Nassr and Al-Fateh, part of the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League. This match is of particular importance given the fierce competition at the top of the standings and Al-Nassr's desire to secure three points to continue their pursuit of the title.

The captain returns and the technical staff prepares

As part of the team's preparations for the match, Al-Nassr's Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, has finalized his starting lineup. The biggest news for Al-Nassr fans is the return of veteran Portuguese star and team captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, to lead the attack after being declared fit. This provides the team with a significant morale and tactical boost on the pitch.

Al-Nasr's expected lineup against Al-Fateh

Al-Nassr's coaching staff relies on a formidable array of international and local stars to ensure control of the game. The back line boasts heavyweight names to bolster the defensive system, while the midfield and attack feature renowned players capable of making a difference at any moment. The expected lineup is as follows:

• Goalkeeper: Pinto.
• Defense line: Sultan Al-Ghannam, Abdul-Ilah Al-Amri, Mohammed Simakan, Iñigo Martínez.
• Midfield: Marcelo Brozovic, Joao Felix, Angelo.
• Attack line: Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Striking Force and the Impact of New Stars

The expected lineup showcases Al-Nassr's formidable attacking prowess. Alongside all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, the team features Senegalese forward Sadio Mane and Frenchman Kingsley Coman, forming a terrifying attacking trio for any defense. Furthermore, the presence of playmaker Joao Felix alongside midfield maestro Marcelo Brozovic ensures tactical versatility and a high capacity for ball retention and creating scoring opportunities.

The context of the competition and the importance of the match

This match comes at a time when the Saudi League is experiencing tremendous growth and unprecedented global attention, thanks to the attraction of the game's biggest stars. The Al-Fateh clash represents a true test of the cohesion among Al-Nassr's new players, particularly in defense with the presence of Iñigo Martínez and Mohammed Simakan. A victory in this match is not just about securing three points; it sends a strong message to rivals about Al-Nassr's readiness to compete for all domestic and continental titles this season.

The corridors of Al-Hilal Saudi Club witnessed rapid developments in the past few hours, most notably a serious move by Uruguayan professional Darwin Núñez to leave the club during the current winter transfer window. This sudden decision comes as a direct reaction to the technical and administrative changes made to the team's roster, specifically the decision to remove his name from the local squad list and register him only in the Asian Champions League squad.

Details of Nunez's movements and possible destination

According to sources close to the Uruguayan star, speaking exclusively to Al-Midan Al-Riyadi, Darwin Núñez is seriously considering leaving the Riyadh-based club. Reports indicate that the player and his agent are currently evaluating available offers, with Major League Soccer (MLS) and Brazilian league clubs emerging as strong potential destinations for the player during this transfer window, as he seeks consistent playing time after his role with Al-Hilal was reduced domestically.

Karim Benzema ignites the competition in the squad

Darwin Nunez has recently been deeply dissatisfied, primarily due to the technical and administrative staff's decision to replace him in the local squad with French star Karim Benzema. This radical change in the foreign player roster reflects Al-Hilal's strong desire to bolster their attack with world-class players possessing extensive experience. However, it has also created a crisis for Nunez, who now finds himself excluded from the Saudi Professional League.

Context of regulations and the influence of foreigners

These moves come amidst the regulations governing the Saudi Professional League, which impose a specific number of foreign players on local rosters, placing major clubs like Al-Hilal in a constant dilemma of choosing between their top stars. Coaches often resort to a strategy of dividing players between domestic and continental competitions (the AFC Champions League), as happened in the Nunez scenario. However, the desire of international players to be present in all competitions makes accepting these decisions difficult, leading to transfer requests.

Al-Hilal continues its victories despite the crises

On the field, and despite the buzz surrounding the transfer window, Al-Hilal continued their strong performances, securing an important 2-0 victory over Al-Ettifaq. This win, in the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League, confirmed that the administrative and technical changes have not affected their pursuit of titles, as they continue to deliver outstanding performances that solidify their position at the forefront of Saudi sports.

The past few hours have witnessed rapid developments within the corridors of Al-Hilal Saudi Club, "The Leader," most notably a serious move by Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez to leave the team during the current winter transfer window. This decisive decision comes as a direct reaction to the technical and administrative changes made to the team's roster, specifically after the coaching staff's decision to remove his name from the local squad list and register him only in the Asian Champions League squad.

Behind the scenes of the decision to leave and future destinations

According to sources close to Uruguayan star Darwin Núñez, speaking exclusively to Al-Midan Al-Riyadi, the player is seriously considering ending his career with Al-Hilal and moving to a new club that guarantees him consistent playing time. The sources indicated that: "Darwin Núñez, the Al-Hilal player, is considering leaving the club and joining a team in either the American or Brazilian leagues during this period, following his official removal from the local roster recently." The player is reportedly very dissatisfied, as he believes that limiting himself to continental competitions does not meet his technical ambitions or maintain his physical and mental readiness for international tournaments.

The impact of professional regulations and the restriction of Karim Benzema

To understand the context of this event, one must consider the regulations governing the Roshan Professional League, which stipulate a specific number of foreign players per club on their domestic roster. This restriction places major clubs like Al-Hilal under immense pressure to choose between their top stars. In this context, the decision to register French star Karim Benzema on the domestic roster instead of Nunez marked a major turning point in the relationship between the player and the club. Having a name of Benzema's stature imposes a new tactical and technical reality on the team, necessitating the sacrifice of one of the big names on the domestic roster to comply with the regulations.

Al-Hilal's technical situation amidst the crisis

Despite these administrative tensions surrounding the professional players, Al-Hilal continues to deliver strong performances domestically, reflecting the depth of its squad and the strength of its technical system, which remains unaffected by individual absences. Al-Hilal recently defeated Al-Ettifaq 2-0 in the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League. This victory confirms that "The Boss" has readily available replacements, and that the administrative decisions regarding the squad, despite their harshness towards some players like Nunez, ultimately serve the team's technical stability as it defends its titles.

The focus remains on Darwin Nunez's final destination, and whether American or Brazilian stadiums will be his next stop to regain his brilliance and play regularly away from the complex roster calculations in the Saudi League.