All eyes in Saudi football will be on Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on Friday evening, as defending champions Al Ittihad host Al Khaleej in a crucial match in the 24th round of the Saudi Professional League. Both teams enter the game with different objectives but the same desire for a positive result; Al Ittihad seeks to regain its lost form and return to winning ways, while Al Khaleej hopes to break its losing streak and secure its position in the safe zone of the league table.
General context and historical background
This season's Saudi Professional League has witnessed a qualitative leap on a global scale, attracting a constellation of the world's most prominent football stars, thus intensifying the competition and making every match feel like a final. In this context, Al-Ittihad, last season's champion, finds itself in an unenviable position, currently sitting in sixth place with 39 points – a position that falls far short of the aspirations of its fans, who had hoped to compete for the title once again. Historically, Al-Ittihad holds a commanding advantage in its head-to-head encounters with Al-Khaleej in the Professional League. Out of 13 matches played between the two sides, Al-Ittihad has secured victory in 8, while 5 ended in a draw, with Al-Khaleej failing to achieve a single win. The goal difference also reflects this dominance, with Al-Ittihad's attack having scored 32 goals compared to Al-Khaleej's 16.
The importance of the match and its expected impact
For Al-Ittihad, this match represents more than just three points. The team has failed to secure a victory in their last two league matches, settling for draws, which has increased the pressure on the players and coaching staff. This encounter serves as a final rehearsal and a valuable opportunity to boost morale before their upcoming continental clash against Al-Wahda of the UAE in the Round of 16 of the AFC Champions League. The team is counting on the readiness of its key players, such as French striker Karim Benzema and midfielders N'Golo Kanté and Fabinho, to achieve a convincing win that will put the team back on track. Meanwhile, Al-Khaleej, currently in ninth place with 27 points, is going through a very difficult period, having failed to win in their last eight league matches. Therefore, the team, led by their Portuguese coach Pedro Emanuel, is striving for a positive result, even a draw, to break this losing streak and move further away from the relegation zone. Al-Khaleej relies on talented players like the Portuguese duo Fábio Martins and Ivo Rodrigues to make a difference and threaten the opposition's goal. The match is expected to be cautious on the part of Al-Khaleej, who will rely on defensive organization and counter-attacks, while Al-Ittihad will try to impose their control from the beginning in search of an early goal to ease the nerves and pave the way towards regaining the tone of victories.
