Football fans around the world will be glued to their television screens this Thursday, February 12th, for a host of exciting and important matches across various international and domestic leagues and tournaments. This day promises a wealth of football action, combining the thrill of local competitions in Saudi Arabia, the rich history of English football, and the magic of Spanish classics, ensuring a truly memorable night of football for fans.

Saudi Roshan League matches: A battle for points

In Saudi Arabia, the Roshan Professional League continues to attract attention thanks to its tremendous development in recent years, making its matches a focus of regional and international interest. Today's matches are particularly important given the fierce competition to improve positions in the standings.

Today's highlight is a highly anticipated match between Al-Qadisiyah and Neom, a clash that reflects the high ambitions of Saudi clubs thanks to the significant support provided to the sports sector. Meanwhile, Al-Taawoun aims to continue its strong performances when it faces a tough away game, while Al-Hazm and Al-Akhdoud desperately seek to secure points and avoid relegation.

The schedule for today's Roshan League matches is as follows:

• 06:45 Damac vs Al-Taawoun
• 08:30 Al-Hazm vs. Al-Akhdoud
• 08:30 Al-Qadisiyah vs Neom

English Premier League: Exciting London Derby

Moving to the English stadiums, where excitement and speed abound, Premier League fans eagerly anticipate a thrilling encounter in the English Premier League. February's matches are of paramount importance to the title contenders, as the countdown to the end of the season begins and every point becomes crucial in the championship race.

Arsenal will visit Brentford in a must-win match for the Gunners, who are aiming to compete for the top spot, while Brentford are known to be a tough opponent on their home ground and in front of their fans, which suggests a high-level tactical and physical match.

Today's English Premier League match schedule:

• 11:00 Brentford vs Arsenal

Spanish King's Cup: A clash of titans between Atletico and Barcelona

As the evening of football draws to a close, all eyes turn to Spain for one of the world's football classics in the Copa del Rey. Matches between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona are always fiercely contested and feature complex tactical battles between their contrasting footballing philosophies.

This match is not just about passing to the next round, but a football battle to prove oneself, as Barcelona seeks to confirm its technical superiority, while Atletico Madrid relies on its defensive solidity and high fighting spirit, making this confrontation the most prominent event in today’s match schedule.

Today's Spanish King's Cup match schedule:

• 11:00 Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona

In an official statement putting an end to the speculation surrounding the recent winter transfer window, Omar Batterjee, Director of Corporate Communications and Media at the Saudi Professional League, revealed the precise financial details of the transfer of French star Karim Benzema to Al-Hilal. This statement comes at a time when Saudi football is experiencing unprecedented sporting and media activity, coinciding with the attraction of a number of world-class players.

In televised remarks on Saudi sports channels, Petrji confirmed that the signing of the French striker to Al-Hilal was not part of the league's recruitment program, which funded several major deals for the four clubs acquired by the Public Investment Fund. Petrji stated unequivocally: "The entire transfer of Karim Benzema was not financed through recruitment; the deal was funded entirely from the club's own resources.".

This announcement carries significant implications for the administrative and financial standing of Saudi clubs, highlighting Al-Hilal's ability to manage its finances and secure the necessary liquidity to independently complete high-profile transfers. This trend reflects the success of the privatization and financial sustainability plans that the Ministry of Sport and the League Association are striving to implement, aiming to reduce overall reliance on central support and encourage clubs to develop their commercial and investment revenues.

Karim Benzema joined Al-Hilal during the last winter transfer window on a free transfer, following successful negotiations that included an agreement on all financial and contractual terms. This move strengthens the attacking prowess of the Blue team, which is competing strongly on all domestic and continental fronts, confirming the club's desire to maintain its success and continue winning titles.

On the field, Al-Hilal's first football team continues its intensive preparations for the highly anticipated match against Al-Ettifaq. This match is part of the 22nd round of the Roshan Professional League. The game holds special significance as it will be held at the Kingdom Arena, a new architectural masterpiece that has entered the Guinness World Records, adding a highly charged and popular atmosphere to the anticipated encounter.

It is worth noting that the Saudi Professional League has become the focus of the world’s attention, as its matches are broadcast in more than 160 countries, which makes transparency in announcing the details of deals and their sources of funding an essential part of the professional standards applied by the League to ensure fair competition and enhance credibility before the local and international sports public.

Norwegian star Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker, continued to make history in English football, further cementing his place at the top of the Premier League's scoring charts. This came after he scored a crucial goal against Fulham in Wednesday evening's match, part of the 27th round of the competition.

With this latest goal, the Norwegian striker increased his tally to 22 goals, widening the gap and extending his lead at the top of the scoring charts to a comfortable five goals ahead of his closest rival, Brentford's Igor Tiago, who has 17 goals. This comfortable lead reflects Haaland's incredible consistency and his exceptional ability to be clinical in front of goal under any circumstances, making him the undisputed favorite to retain the Golden Boot this season.

In the race for the Golden Boot, Manchester City's potent attacking force is on full display. Erling Haaland is not the only one leading the pack; his teammate Antoine Semenya sits in third place with 13 goals, highlighting the Sky Blues' attacking prowess. The competition is fierce at the other end of the spectrum, with three players tied on 10 goals each: Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds United, Hugo Ekiteke of Liverpool, and João Pedro of Chelsea.

These statistics are of paramount importance not only for the individual players but also for their direct impact on their clubs' results. Having a striker of Haaland's caliber gives Manchester City a significant psychological and technical advantage in the race for the league title, as prolific goal-scoring is crucial for securing points at critical junctures in the season. Furthermore, the fierce competition in the top scorers' list reflects the strength of the Premier League and the close competition among the top clubs, with representatives from Liverpool, Chelsea, Leeds, and Brentford all vying with City's stars.

Historically, the race for the Premier League Golden Boot has been a strong indicator of the league champion, with the top scorer often associated with the most consistent team. With Haaland reaching 22 goals in matchday 27, he's on a remarkable scoring streak that could see him break even more records if he maintains this pace until the end of the season.

Here is the English Premier League top scorers table after the updates for Matchday 27:

• First place: Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – 22 goals.
• Second place: Igor Tiago (Brentford) – 17 goals.
• Third place: Antoine Simeone (Manchester City) – 13 goals.
• Fourth place: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United) – 10 goals.
• Fifth place: Hugo Ekiteke (Liverpool) – 10 goals.
• Sixth place: Joao Pedro (Chelsea) – 10 goals.