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.

Al-Khaleej's first handball team continued their strong performances and absolute dominance in the Saudi Premier Handball League this season, after securing a victory in the fourteenth round against Al-Ahli. The match, held at the Ministry of Sports Hall in Dammam, witnessed a large and competitive crowd and ended with a well-deserved 31-27 win for the team from Saihat, taking them a giant step towards clinching the title.

Al Dana: An undefeated run and absolute leadership

With this valuable victory, Al-Khaleej (Al-Dana) strengthened its position at the top of the overall standings with a perfect record, reaching 26 points from 13 consecutive wins without a single draw or loss. This exceptional performance reflects the technical and administrative stability the team enjoys, in addition to sound planning that has made Al-Khaleej a formidable force not only locally, but also regionally and in Asia. The Saudi Handball League is currently considered one of the strongest leagues in the Arab and Asian regions due to the strength of its professional players and local talent.

The battle for second place and the impact of results on the standings

On the other hand, despite Al-Ahli's strong performance, the loss left them with 20 points in third place, widening the gap with the league leader to 6 points and making their chances of winning the title much more difficult. Meanwhile, Al-Huda capitalized on Al-Ahli's stumble, securing a crucial 26-24 victory over Al-Noor in a derby match, thus claiming second place with 21 points. This fierce competition for qualification spots in international tournaments adds significant excitement to the remaining rounds of the league.

Results of the remaining matches of round 14

The excitement was not limited to the Gulf and Al-Ahli summit, but the round witnessed other fiery encounters that affected the shape of the standings table:

• Unity and justice: Unity managed to achieve an exciting victory with a score of 34-32, raising its score to 9 points and trying to move away from the danger zones.
• Mudar and Al-Muheet: In a match characterized by defensive competitiveness, Mudar snatched a difficult victory with a score of 23-22, maintaining its hopes in competing for the Golden Square with 16 points.
• Al-Safa and Al-Zulfi: Al-Zulfi achieved a resounding victory away from home against Al-Safa with a score of 33-24, which strengthens its position in the safe zone of the standings.

Saudi Premier Handball League standings (after round 14)

Below is an updated standings table, showing the teams' positions in terms of the number of matches played and points: