The technical staff of the Al-Shabab team received a huge moral and technical boost a few hours before the start of the anticipated football summit, as it was definitively confirmed that the veteran Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah is ready to lead the attack of “Al-Laith” in the anticipated match against Al-Ahli, within the competitions of the Saudi Professional League, after his full recovery from the injury that he suffered recently.

Al-Shabab fans are placing high hopes on the return of "Al-Sati" to the starting lineup, given his extensive experience in Saudi football and his ability to decide big matches. The Moroccan international striker has only featured in four matches for Al-Shabab this season in the Roshan League, scoring one goal and providing one assist. He hopes to add to his tally in the upcoming derby against Al-Ahli.

Date and details of the Al-Shabab vs. Al-Ahli match

Al Shabab is scheduled to host Al Ahli at 4:55 PM this Friday in a highly anticipated match as part of the 22nd round of the Roshan League. This game is of paramount importance to both sides, as each team seeks to secure the three points to achieve their respective goals in the league standings.

The two teams' positions in the Roshan League standings

The two teams enter the match in completely different circumstances, as Al-Shabab is suffering from a decline in results that has put it in an unenviable position, as it occupies the thirteenth place in the league standings with only (19) points, a position that does not befit the history of the capital club, making a win an urgent necessity to move away from the danger zones and restore confidence.

On the other hand, Al-Ahli Club is experiencing a state of technical stability, as it occupies the fourth position in the standings with (47) points. “Al-Raqui” aspires to continue its series of victories to secure its place in the Asian championships and compete for the advanced positions, which portends a high-level tactical and physical confrontation between Al-Shabab’s desire to make up for lost ground and Al-Ahli’s ambition to advance.

Matches between Al-Shabab and Al-Ahli always have a special character in Saudi football, given the great history that unites the two clubs, and the presence of elite stars in their ranks. The return of Hamdallah is a factor that may tip the scales in favor of the home team in this difficult encounter.

On a night of shocking football for fans of the Catalan club, German Hansi Flick, the manager of Barcelona, ​​admitted that his players lacked team spirit and received a "harsh lesson" during the first half of the first leg of the Spanish King's Cup semi-final, which ended with a resounding defeat for the Catalan giant against its host Atletico Madrid with a score of 0-4 at the "Civitas Metropolitano" stadium.

The Spanish league leaders and defending champions suffered a heavy blow as Diego Simeone's team thrashed their visitors 4-0 before halftime, a scenario that even the most pessimistic Barcelona fans hadn't anticipated. This defeat is one of Barcelona's heaviest in recent seasons, placing the team under immense pressure ahead of the second leg.

In his post-match press conference, Flick didn't offer flimsy excuses, but rather faced the truth, saying: "We didn't play well as a team in the first half; we didn't play as a unit. The distance between the players was too great, and we didn't press effectively." These statements reflect the tactical flaw that Atlético Madrid exploited brilliantly, relying on swift counter-attacks and exploiting the spaces behind the defenders.

Despite the harsh result, the German coach tried to find the positives in this setback, indicating that this lesson might be necessary for the team to bounce back in the remainder of the season's competitions, both in the league and the Champions League. The former Bayern Munich coach added, "We received a harsh lesson in the first 45 minutes. Sometimes it's good to receive such a lesson at the right time, and perhaps today was the right time." The 60-year-old coach continued defiantly, "The second half was much better, and we have another match, and we will fight to win it," hinting at the team's desire to attempt a difficult comeback in the second leg.

The match was not without its share of refereeing controversy, as the second half saw a goal by Barcelona's young defender Pau Cobarsi disallowed by a late and controversial VAR decision for offside. Adding insult to injury was the lack of explanation to fans in the stadium or watching on screens regarding the offside position during the build-up to the attack, much to Flick's frustration.

Flick angrily commented on the VAR incident, saying: "It's complete chaos, chaos like that. Then they have to wait, I don't know how many minutes. Was it seven minutes? My God! They found something in seven minutes? Fine. For me, when I saw the situation, it was clear there was no offside, but maybe they saw something different at the end, but they told us. There was no communication, and that's very bad." This result raises serious questions about Barcelona's ability to recover mentally and physically before the upcoming challenges, while Atlético Madrid have one foot and a half in the final.

There is a palpable sense of anticipation surrounding the future of Saudi goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi at Al-Nassr FC, with reports indicating that the player is seriously considering leaving the club during the upcoming summer transfer window. This move stems from the young goalkeeper's desire for a genuine opportunity to play regularly, having found himself relegated to the bench behind Brazilian goalkeeper Pinto, who has become the team's first-choice keeper.

Reasons for considering leaving and the coaching staff's decision

The roots of the crisis lie in recent tactical decisions, with Al-Nassr's manager, Jesus, deciding to bench Al-Aqidi. This strict tactical decision came after the goalkeeper made two costly errors in the league matches against Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Hilal, mistakes that directly impacted the team's position at the top of the standings. This shift in tactical decisions has prompted Al-Aqidi to reconsider his options to ensure the continuation of his professional development and avoid stagnation in his football career at this crucial stage of his career.

The player's agent breaks his silence and clarifies the facts

Amidst these circulating reports, Meshaal Al-Safai, Nawaf Al-Aqidi's agent, issued a strong statement on his official "X" account Wednesday evening to set the record straight. Defending his client, Al-Safai wrote: "When he was present, he silenced everyone with his performances and culminated in our national team's qualification for the World Cup. When he was absent, everyone started talking about him, whether praising or criticizing him. But what's strange is that there are people speaking as if they are decision-makers within the club. It's truly shameful.".

Al-Safa'i put an end to the rumors with a decisive post, saying: "To silence all the slanderers, Nawaf Al-Aqidi is a son of Al-Nassr and gives his all to serve this club. Enough with the rumors." These statements confirm the player's official commitment to his club, despite the technical pressures he is facing.

The context of competition and the impact of foreign professionals

Nawaf Al-Aqidi's situation cannot be separated from the broader context of the Saudi Professional League, which is witnessing a qualitative leap in attracting international stars across various positions, including goalkeeper. The presence of a goalkeeper of the caliber of Brazilian Pinto at Al-Nassr intensifies competition and significantly reduces the margin for error for local goalkeepers. This dynamic presents talented Saudi goalkeepers with significant challenges to prove themselves and wrest the starting position from these international names, which in turn impacts the Saudi national team's options, as they require goalkeepers who play regularly.

Al-Aqidi's numbers and his professional future

In terms of statistics, 25-year-old Nawaf Al-Aqidi has played 11 matches for Al-Nassr this season, conceding 12 goals and keeping only 3 clean sheets, totaling 960 minutes of play. While these statistics reflect his participation in only a portion of the season, they may not be sufficient for a goalkeeper aspiring to be the number one at a club competing for all titles. The question remains: will Al-Aqidi be able to regain the trust of the coaching staff, led by Jesus, and return to the starting lineup, or will leaving in search of more playing time be the best solution to salvage his international and domestic career?