Al Ahli vs Al Nassr
Venue: Alinma Stadium, Jeddah
Date: Friday, January 2
Kickoff: 20:30 AST
How to Watch: Live on SPOTV NOW
The Saudi Pro League title race heats up as Al Nassr look to bounce back from a frustrating 2-2 draw against Al Ettifaq. Their next challenge? A trip to Jeddah to face Al Ahli, a side determined to disrupt the leaders’ momentum.
Al Nassr remain top of the table, holding a slender two-point advantage over Al Hilal. Before last matchweek’s slip, they were unstoppable—stringing together 10 consecutive wins. Now, the pressure is on to maintain control at the summit.
Al Ahli, meanwhile, sit fourth, nine points adrift of first place. While the gap is significant, their quality makes them a dangerous opponent. Historically, Al Nassr have had the upper hand in this fixture, unbeaten in the last five meetings with three wins. Across 26 encounters, Al Nassr boast 10 victories to Al Ahli’s eight.
Players to Watch
For the hosts, Ivan Toney has been a standout performer. The English striker has netted six goals in 10 appearances—all from inside the box—showcasing his clinical finishing. His conversion rate is impressive: six goals from just 13 shots on target.
On the other side, Al Nassr’s attacking duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and João Félix continues to terrorize defenses. Both sit atop the scoring charts with 13 goals each, and their chemistry has been pivotal in Al Nassr’s dominance. Stopping them will be key for Al Ahli’s backline.
Al Ahli’s central pairing of Merih Demiral and Roger Ibanez will have their hands full. Demiral recently spoke about their partnership:
“I really enjoy playing alongside Roger Ibañez. Whenever he needs support, I’m there for him — and the same goes the other way. Everyone can see we’re the best defense in the Middle East. Of course, the goalkeeper and full-backs play a big role too, but my partnership with Ibañez is something special.”
With two prolific attacks and plenty at stake, expect a high-intensity showdown under the lights in Jeddah.
