The turbulent wave of managerial changes continues in Saudi football, with the current 2025/26 Saudi Professional League season yet another chapter in the dismissal of coaches. Earlier on Sunday evening, Al-Najma Mario Silva , citing a string of poor results that had placed the team in a precarious position.

This decision comes amidst a dire results crisis plaguing Al-Najma, with statistics revealing the team's complete inability, under Mario Silva's leadership, to secure a single victory. In the 20 matches played this season in the Roshan League, the team suffered defeat in 15 and managed only five draws, leaving them at the bottom of the table with a meager five points. This dismal performance made the dismissal of Silva a widely anticipated outcome within the club, as they desperately sought a way to salvage the situation before it was too late.

Mario Silva's case is not unique in this difficult season; rather, it reflects the ongoing phenomenon of "coach dismissals" that has affected many big names. Silva is the fifth coach to be sacked this season, highlighting the immense pressure on coaching staff in the Saudi league, which has become a focus of global attention.

He was preceded on the list of departing coaches by four others whose names and histories were not enough to save them from the language of results:
1. Laurent Blanc (Al-Ittihad Club).
2. Michel Gonzalez (Al-Qadisiyah Club).
3. Javier Calleja (Al-Riyadh Club).
4. Paulo Sergio (Al-Akhdoud Club).

These successive dismissals reflect the fierce competition in the Saudi Professional League, where clubs strive by all means to maintain their position and avoid relegation, or to compete for top spots. Mid-season coaching changes are a double-edged sword, often used by club management to create a positive shock in the locker room and motivate players to return to winning ways. This is what Al-Najma's management hopes to achieve in the remaining rounds to salvage the team's season.

The Yellow League competitions for first division clubs witnessed a strong and exciting start this Sunday afternoon as part of the activities of round (21) of the current edition of the competition, as two matches were held that carried a lot of competitiveness and dramatic changes that reflect the development of the technical level of the championship.

Al-Ta'i and Al-Ra'id... Excitement until the very last breath

In the first match held at Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaed bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium, Al-Raed failed to maintain their comfortable two-goal lead, falling into the trap of a positive draw (2-2) against their host Al-Ta’ee in a scenario that even the most pessimistic of the visiting supporters did not expect.

Al-Raed started the match strongly, with Jallo Zinho opening the scoring in the 39th minute. His teammate, Omar Gonzalez, then doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time (45+1), leading everyone to believe the match was over. However, Al-Tai showed great character in the second half, with Hussein Al-Shurafa pulling a goal back in the 64th minute. The drama reached its peak in the tenth minute of stoppage time (90+10) when goalkeeper Abdulrahman Daghriri turned striker and snatched a dramatic equalizer for his team.

This draw raised Al-Ta’ee’s tally to 25 points in tenth place, while Al-Raed reached 29 points in eighth place, igniting competition in the middle of the standings.

Al-Arabi's comeback against Al-Adala

At King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Al-Arabi staged a remarkable comeback, turning a one-goal deficit into a valuable 2-1 victory over their guests, Al-Adalah. Al-Adalah took the lead first through their player, Ranga, in the 59th minute, but Al-Arabi responded quickly and decisively.

Panom Gatouchi equalized for Al-Arabi in the 67th minute, before Fahad Al-Jahani secured the victory for his team with a goal in the 76th minute. This win is crucial in the relegation battle, as Al-Arabi raised their points tally to 13, placing them 16th and reducing the gap with Al-Adalah in 15th place (15 points) to just two points.

Importance and competitiveness of the Yellow League

The results of this round demonstrate the remarkable improvement in the level of the Yelo League, where the technical gaps between teams are no longer significant, making it more difficult to predict outcomes. The tournament has gained considerable importance as the main gateway to the professional league (Roshen), prompting clubs to strengthen their squads with high-caliber local and international players. This has been reflected in the technical performance on the field and has increased fan attendance and media coverage of the competition.

Private sources within the Saudi Al-Nassr club revealed the final date for the first appearance of the team's captain, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, after a short absence that kept him from participating with "Al-Aalami" during the last two crucial rounds in the Roshan Professional League standings, which raised questions from fans about when he would return to the green field.

Sources have confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will make his first appearance in Al-Nassr's upcoming league match against Al-Fateh, returning to the starting lineup after missing the previous two matches against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad. This return is expected to bolster the team's attacking prowess at a crucial stage of the competition, as Al-Nassr fans are counting heavily on their veteran captain to secure points and maintain their pursuit of domestic titles.

Regarding the team's performance during the absence of their star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr demonstrated their cohesion and ability to secure victories. They successfully overcame Al-Riyadh with a clean sheet. More importantly, they clinched a thrilling derby victory against their arch-rivals, Al-Ittihad, in the previous round, winning 2-0 at Al-Ahli Park in front of a packed stadium. This victory reflects the depth of the squad and the fighting spirit the team possesses, even without their key players.

In a related context regarding continental competitions, Al-Nassr is preparing to face Turkmenistan's Arkadağ in the next round of the AFC Champions League group stage. Reports indicate that Cristiano Ronaldo will miss this Asian encounter due to a personal and technical decision, perhaps to give him more rest and full readiness for the more intense domestic league fixtures.

Ronaldo's return against Al-Fateh is of paramount importance, not only technically but also psychologically, as the Portuguese star carries significant weight both in the locker room and on the pitch. Al-Nassr's coaching staff hopes to capitalize on his return to continue their winning streak, especially given the fierce competition in the Saudi league this season, where every point is crucial in the title race. Saudi and international fans eagerly await the return of the all-time leading scorer to resume his goal-scoring form and lead his team to victory.