In a move that strengthens Al-Nassr's defense, international defender Abdulilah Al-Amri returned to full training on Saturday evening after recovering from a calf muscle tear. His return comes at an ideal time, as the team prepares for a crucial match against Al-Taawoun.

General context and importance of returning

Al-Amri, 29, is a key pillar of both Al-Nassr's and the Saudi national team's defense. His recent injury has left a noticeable void, placing additional pressure on the team as they strive to compete for the Saudi Professional League title. His return is of paramount importance given the critical stage of the season, where dropping any more points in the fierce title race with their arch-rivals Al-Hilal is unacceptable.

Expected impact on team performance

The inclusion of Abdulilah Al-Amri in the squad for the upcoming match against Al-Taawoun, scheduled for Monday evening as part of the 18th round of the league, is expected to provide a significant morale and tactical boost for both the coach and the players. Al-Amri is known for his ability to read the game, his physical strength in tackles, and his skill in building play from the back – qualities the team has sorely missed in his absence. This season, he has proven his immense value, participating in 17 matches, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 1134 minutes of play, highlighting his attacking impact alongside his defensive duties.

A confrontation that cannot be divided in two

Al-Nassr enters its match against Al-Taawoun in second place in the league standings with 37 points, seven points behind league leaders Al-Hilal. This gap makes every upcoming match feel like a final, especially against strong teams like Al-Taawoun, who have been performing exceptionally well this season and consistently compete for a top-four finish. Therefore, the return of a player of Al-Amri's caliber and experience strengthens the team's defense and provides them with a wider range of tactical options to face upcoming challenges, both domestically in the Saudi Professional League and the King's Cup, and continentally in the AFC Champions League.

On an unforgettable football evening at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium, Como, newly promoted to the top flight, continued to write their inspiring success story this season, after crushing their guest Torino with a resounding 6-0 victory, in the 22nd round of the Italian Football League.

A festival of goals and remarkable brilliance

Greek striker Anastasios Douvikas opened the scoring early in the eighth minute, before Croatian Martin Baturina added a second in the 16th minute. In the second half, Frenchman Lucas Da Cunha compounded Torino's misery with a third goal from the penalty spot in the 59th minute. Como weren't finished there, as Douvikas returned to score his second and his team's fourth in the 66th minute. Substitutes, German Nicolas-Gerritt Kuhn and Frenchman Maxence Cacoure, completed the historic six-goal rout in the 70th and 76th minutes respectively.

Rocket rise in the standings

With this resounding victory, their second in a row and eleventh this season, Cesc Fàbregas's team raised their points tally to 40, temporarily climbing to fifth place in the Serie A standings. This position places Como firmly in contention for European qualification, ahead of established clubs, pending the outcome of the top-of-the-table clash between Juventus and Napoli. This achievement is remarkable for a team that has just been promoted from Serie B.

Historical background and Fabregas' influence

Como is living a dream come true. After being absent from Serie A for over two decades, suffering bankruptcy and relegation to the lower divisions, their return this season was an achievement in itself. However, their performance under the guidance of former world-class midfielder Cesc Fàbregas has exceeded all expectations. Fàbregas has instilled a fighting spirit and modern tactical thinking in the team, making them the dark horse of the tournament and one of the most entertaining teams to watch.

The impact of the victory on both the local and regional levels

Locally, this victory ignited the enthusiasm of the entire city of Como and firmly put the club back on the Italian football map. Regionally, Como sent a strong message to the Italian league's elite that competing for European places will not be easy and that they are serious contenders. Conversely, this humiliating defeat only deepens Torino's woes, leaving them stuck on 23 points in 14th place and closer to the relegation battle, placing immense pressure on the club's management and coaching staff.

The Saudi Arabian national handball team, known as the "Green Falcons," will face a crucial and decisive match against Bahrain on Sunday evening, in the final round of the main stage of the 22nd Asian Men's Handball Championship, hosted by Kuwait. This tournament is of paramount importance as it serves as the primary gateway for Asian teams to qualify for the 2027 World Men's Handball Championship, scheduled to be held in Germany.

Historical background and context of the tournament

The Asian Men's Handball Championship is the continent's premier event, having been held since its inception in 1977. Since then, it has become the most important competition, determining the Asian champion and granting qualification for the World Championship. The Gulf-Gulf encounters in this tournament are particularly intense and exciting, given the close levels of competition and the historical rivalry between the region's teams. This makes the match between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain more than just a main round fixture; it's a highly anticipated Gulf derby.

Al-Akhdar's journey in the tournament

The Saudi national team delivered a remarkable performance from the start of the tournament, topping their group in the first round with a perfect record and securing consecutive victories against strong teams such as Iran, Japan, and Australia. This impressive performance earned them a well-deserved place in the main round. In the main round, the Saudi team suffered an early defeat against Qatar, but quickly recovered and delivered a convincing performance, achieving a resounding and well-deserved 33-19 victory over the UAE. This win not only earned the team two valuable points but also restored their confidence and high morale before the final match.

The importance of the match and its expected impact

The importance of this match is not limited to determining who qualifies for the semi-finals of the Asian Championship, but extends to being a pivotal step on the road to qualifying for the 2027 World Championship in Germany. Reaching the World Championship is a strategic goal for Saudi handball, as it contributes to raising the national team's international ranking, enhances the status of the game in the Kingdom, and provides players with the opportunity to interact with the best handball schools in the world, which positively impacts their technical and physical development.

Complex qualification calculations

The resounding victory over the UAE has firmly put the Saudi national team back in contention, but their task still requires careful planning against Bahrain. The scenarios for Saudi Arabia's qualification are as follows:

• Winning by a margin of 6 goals or more: This scenario guarantees the Saudi national team's direct qualification to the semi-finals without regard to other results.
• Winning by a margin of 5 goals: In this case, the Saudi and Bahraini teams will be tied in head-to-head matches, and the criterion of the number of goals scored in the tournament will be used to determine who qualifies.
• Any other result: Any result other than winning by at least 5 goals could put the Saudi team's chances in jeopardy, and depends on the result of the Qatar-UAE match.

Saudi fans are eagerly anticipating this match, hoping that the stars of the "Green Handball Team" will continue to deliver strong performances and achieve the desired result that will ensure their continued success in the continental journey, and bring them one step closer to realizing their dream of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup.