Sports Mole previews Friday’s Saudi Pro League clash between Al-Nassr and Al Quadisiya, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Al-Nassr will be looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League this week when they welcome Al Quadisiya to Al-Awwal Park on Friday.
Both sides won their last top-flight fixtures and are aiming to extend their respective streaks, with the visitors looking to win a fourth league game in a row.
Match preview
Al-Nassr are hoping to dethrone rivals Al-Hilal as the Saudi Pro League champions, and while they are yet to lose a game this campaign, they are already six points behind their table-topping rivals in the title race after 10 matches.
Al-Alami followed their 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal with a 5-1 thrashing of Al Ain in the AFC Champions League, before Sadio Mane‘s 41st-minute goal helped seal a 1-0 victory over Al Riyadh just before the international break.
Stefano Pioli has a record of five wins and two draws in his first seven matches in charge since arriving in mid-September, but while his side are still unbeaten this season, they are in third place with 22 points, five points behind second-placed Al-Ittihad.
The Knights of Najd will now face Al-Qadisiyah and Damac in back-to-back home matches, hoping to close the gap at the top, though they have one trip to Al-Gharafa in the AFC Champions League sandwiched between both games.
Al-Nassr have dominated their home fixtures against Friday’s opposition, currently on a four-match home winning streak when they play as host, and losing just one, while winning 10 of 14 such games.
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Al-Qadisiyah earned promotion to the top flight at the end of last season, ending a three-year absence in the Saudi Pro League.
The Knight of the East have enjoyed a good start on their return to the top division, picking up six wins from their opening 10 matches, and they appear to have solved their stop-start motion in recent weeks.
Michel‘s side won three of their opening seven matches, with three defeats and one draw in between those victories, but they have now won their last three league games in a row, the most recent of which was a 2-0 win over Al Fayha before the break.
This consistency has helped the visitors rise to fifth in the table with 19 points, three behind Friday’s hosts Al-Nassr, and two points behind fourth-placed Al-Shabab.
The team based in the eastern city of Khobar will hope to close this gap with a win on Friday, but they have not been great away from home, with two wins sandwiching a draw and two losses on the road.
Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:
Al-Nassr form (all competitions):
Al Quadisiya Saudi Pro League form:
Team News
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Al-Nassr also have just one player sidelined through injury in the form of Sami Al-Najei, who is ruled out for the remainder of the season having undergone cruciate ligament surgery.
Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score from open play in his last seven league matches, with each of his three goals in that time coming from the penalty spot, a run he will be hoping to end when he leads the line in this clash.
Talisca has been the main man for the hosts in recent weeks, and having already matched Ronaldo’s six league goals, he will be hoping to get back on the scoresheet when he starts in the attacking quartet alongside Mane, Ronaldo, and Abdulrahman Ghareeb.
The visitors will head into the match without left winger Saif Rajab, who tore a muscle fibre in the adductor area, and Ibrahim Mohannashi, who has fitness issues.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on the scoresheet, taking his league tally to four and matching strike partner Julian Quinones, both of whom are expected to start as the front two once again on Friday.
Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:
Bento; Al Ghanam, Simakan, Alawjami, Boushal; Brozovic, Otavio; Ghareeb, Talisca, Mane; Ronaldo
Al Quadisiya possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Thakri, Nacho, Alvarez; Shamat, Nandez, Fernandez, Al-Ammar; Puertas; Aubameyang, Quinones
We say: Al-Nassr 2-1 Al Quadisiya
While Al-Qadisiyah have been very impressive this season, Al-Nassr have more quality in their squad and have shown that they can get over the line in most games this season, which is why we feel that the visitors will win this clash.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
