Al-Ahli will field their full attacking force against Damac
German coach Matthias Jäissle, manager of Al-Ahli, announced the starting lineup for the highly anticipated match against Damac FC. This match, a rescheduled fixture from the tenth round of the 2023-2024 Saudi Professional League, will be played at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Al-Mahalah. Al-Ahli enters the match aiming for a victory and all three points to maintain pressure on the leading teams in the league standings.
Yasle decided to field his strongest lineup from the start, relying on the team's formidable attacking force. The official lineup was as follows:
- Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy
- Defense: Ali Majrashi, Roger Ibanez, Merih Demiral, Saad Balabid
- Midfield: Franck Kessie, Mohammed Al-Majhad, Jabri Vega
- Forwards: Riyad Mahrez, Firas Al-Buraikan, Allan Saint-Maximin
General context and importance of the match in the Roshan League
This match comes amidst an exceptional and historic season for Saudi football, which has seen the influx of some of the world's top football stars thanks to significant support from the Public Investment Fund. Al-Ahli, recently promoted back to the Saudi Professional League after a single season in the second division, entered the season with high ambitions of directly competing for the title, bolstered by high-profile signings such as Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessié, Édouard Mendy, and Roberto Firmino (who is on the bench for this match).
For its part, Damac FC is considered a well-organized team that consistently delivers strong performances, especially at home, making this a real challenge for Yassla's squad. The "Knights of the South" are aiming for a positive result to solidify their position in the comfortable mid-table standings and demonstrate their ability to compete with the top teams.
Expected impact of the match result
Domestically, the result of this match is crucial in the title race. A win for Al-Ahli would close the gap with the leaders, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, and keep their title hopes alive. Any slip-up – a draw or a loss – would be a blow to the team's ambitions and those of their fans, and could widen the gap with the top of the table. As for Damac, securing a point or even three from this encounter would be a significant achievement, giving the team a huge morale boost for the remainder of the season.
Regionally and internationally, the spotlight is on the performances of global stars in the Saudi Professional League. Every match serves as a marketing opportunity for the competition, and the performances of players of the caliber of Riyad Mahrez, Saint-Maximin, and Mendy directly contribute to raising the technical and popular value of the Saudi league on the global stage, and confirm the strength and appeal of the sports project in Saudi Arabia.
