The Saudi Professional League (SPL) in its current 2023-2024 season is witnessing fierce competition and dramatic shifts in team standings, as major clubs strive to assert their dominance, while others struggle to secure their place or escape relegation. Amidst this footballing battle, the noticeable decline in the performance and results of Al-Taawoun and Al-Fateh stands out. Both clubs had strong starts to the season before entering a spiral of continuous setbacks, raising concerns among their fans and pushing them away from the top positions they had aspired to.
General context: Dory Roshan in a new era
The Saudi Professional League is no longer what it once was. With the launch of the investment and privatization project for sports clubs, and the Public Investment Fund's support for major clubs, the league has witnessed a qualitative leap by attracting world-class stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane. This transformation has not only raised the league's technical and marketing value, but has also intensified competition to an unprecedented degree, making every match a true challenge, and leaving no room for complacency against any team.
Cooperation: From contender for the top spot to decline in the rankings
Al-Taawoun, nicknamed "The Sugar of Qassim," began the season strongly under the guidance of their Brazilian coach, Pericles Chamusca, competing fiercely for the top spot in the early rounds and remaining in second place for a considerable period. However, the team's performance has declined sharply in recent weeks, managing only one point in their last four matches. They suffered consecutive defeats against Damac (1-2) and Al-Fayha (2-3), following a previous loss to Al-Ettifaq (0-1) and a draw with Al-Khaleej (1-1). This slump has seen them drop to fifth place with 39 points, a full 11 points behind Al-Qadisiyah in fourth, significantly diminishing their chances of qualifying for the AFC Champions League.
Al-Fateh: “The model” struggles to regain balance
Similarly, Al-Fateh, the historic 2013 league champions, have experienced a period of instability. After a promising start to the season with several important victories, the team's form has unraveled under Croatian coach Slaven Bilic. The final rounds have seen a string of disappointing results, with the team failing to win any of their last seven matches, managing only three draws and suffering four defeats. Their most recent loss was a 3-4 defeat against Al-Ettifaq, preceded by a 0-2 loss to Al-Nassr. These results have seen Al-Fateh drop to eleventh place with 24 points, moving closer to the relegation zone than the safe mid-table positions they had hoped for.
The importance of the event and its expected impact
The decline in performance of two teams with a strong presence in Saudi football, Al-Taawoun and Al-Fateh, reflects the direct impact of increased competition in the Roshan League. Locally, this decline places significant pressure on the clubs' management and their fans, who are demanding a swift turnaround. On a broader level, it demonstrates that remaining competitive requires consistent and high-quality performance throughout the entire season, which serves the league's strategic goal of becoming one of the strongest leagues in the world. The struggles of these previously prominent mid-table teams confirm that the gap between the top and middle has widened, and the challenge is greater than ever.
Cooperation figures in the Roshan League 2023/2024
- Matches: 22
- Winning: 12
- Draw: 3
- Loss: 7
- Goals scored: 40
- Future goals: 27
- Points: 39
- Center: 5
Al-Fateh's numbers in the Roshan League 2023/2024
- Matches: 22
- Winning: 6
- Draw: 6
- Loss: 10
- Goals scored: 29
- Future goals: 41
- Points: 24
- Center: 11
