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 Saudi Professional League for the 2025-2026 season witnessed fiery encounters on Friday evening as part of the 22nd round, where the home clubs were able to assert their dominance and achieve resounding victories that changed the overall standings of the competition, amidst a large audience eagerly awaiting the battle for promotion and relegation.

Al-Jabalain secures a six-goal victory against Al-Jandal

In the opening match of the day, Al-Jabalain capitalized on home advantage to secure a thrilling and well-deserved 4-2 victory over Al-Jandal. The match was characterized by its competitiveness and open, attacking play from both sides, but Al-Jabalain's clinical finishing proved decisive in securing the three points.

With this important victory, Al-Jabalain continued their strong performances, climbing the standings to fifth place after raising their points tally to 42, confirming their determination to compete strongly for a top-four finish. Meanwhile, Al-Bukairiyah's points remained at 33, keeping them in sixth place, thus widening the gap in favor of Al-Jabalain and strengthening their position in the safe zone and competitive position.

Al-Raed is tough on Al-Arabi and corrects the course

In the second match, which was no less important, Al-Raed Club gave a harsh football lesson to its guest, Al-Arabi, as it managed to score four clean goals (4-0) in a one-sided match in which Al-Raed controlled the course of the game in length and breadth.

This resounding victory gave Al-Raed a significant morale boost, raising its tally to 32 points and settling into eighth place in the Yellow League standings, moving further away from the danger zones. Meanwhile, Al-Arabi Club's suffering increased as its tally remained frozen at only 16 points, leaving it in fifteenth place, a position that puts the team under considerable pressure in the upcoming rounds to avoid the specter of relegation to the lower division.

The importance of competition in the Yellow League for the 2025-2026 season

This season's matches in the Yellow League are of exceptional importance, given the significant development Saudi football is witnessing on all levels. These results are a vital indicator of the intensifying competition in the final third of the league, as established clubs like Al-Raed and Al-Jabalain strive to secure their places among the elite or compete for promotion to the Roshan League, while other clubs like Al-Arabi fight to avoid relegation.

The high number of goals scored in today's matches (10 goals in two matches) reflects the clear offensive desire of the teams and the high level of technical preparation reached by the first division clubs, making the Yellow League the focus of attention for followers and sports critics as one of the strongest first division leagues in the Arab region.