Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Saudi Pro League clash between Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Round eight of the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League campaign will see Al Riyadh host Al Ittihad at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on Thursday evening.
Both teams are in fine form heading into this clash, with the hosts winning their last two matches, while the visitors have won their last three matches.
Match preview
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Al Riyadh earned promotion to the Saudi Pro League last season and narrowly escaped relegation, finishing in 14th position, just two places and three points above the drop zone.
However, it is looking like a completely different season for the west Riyadh-based club, who are currently sitting in fourth place with 13 points after seven matches.
A major catalyst for the turnaround has been a change at the helm, with Sabri Lamouchi replacing former manager Odair Hellmann before the new season kicked off.
Al Riyadh have won four of seven matches, including a 2-1 victory over Al-Qadisiyah and a 1-0 win over Al Okhdood in their last two matches.
Lamouchi’s men will take on Al Ittihad on Thursday, hoping to extend their run, but it is their biggest test yet in this run, as they are facing a team they have always lost to.
The hosts have lost all seven matches against the visitors, failing to score in the last five while conceding 18 goals within that period, though only one of the games in this run has been played with Al Riyadh as the home side.
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Al Ittihad are hoping to reclaim the league title that they won in 2022-23 and lost last season, and their start to the league suggests that they are up for the task.
The People’s Club have notched up six wins in the opening six matches, with the solitary defeat coming against defending champions and league leaders Al Hilal.
The most recent of those victories came last Saturday, when they won 3-1 against Al Quadisiya on home soil, leaving Laurent Blanc‘s team in second place with 18 points, just three off the top.
One of the most notable improvements made by the side under Blanc has been their attacking output, as they have already netted 20 goals in seven league games, just one fewer than Al Hilal.
Karim Benzema, who scored the opener against Al Quadisiya last time out, taking his tally for the season to eight – one behind Aleksandar Mitrovic and two ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo – has been a major reason for the improved scoring rate.
Al Ittihad have played three away matches this season, winning two and losing one, with the only defeat coming against Al Hilal.
Al Riyadh Saudi Pro League form:
Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:
Team News
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Al Riyadh are expected to remain without centre-back Enzo Roco, who has been sidelined with an injury since May, with a return date currently uncertain.
Ibrahim Bayesh, the team’s leading scorer with three goals, could make a return to the starting XI after coming on from the bench in the previous match.
Centre-back Luiz Felipe is ruled out for Al Ittihad with a thigh injury and will miss his eighth consecutive game.
The Italy international will be joined on the sideline this week by long-term absentees Ahmed Sharahili and Ahmed Bamasud, both of whom are still recovering from knee surgery.
Al Riyadh possible starting lineup:
Borjan; Al-Nuweqi, Al Sahafi, Asiri, Barbet, Al-Khaibari; Toze, Kal, Mensah; Bayesh, Konate
Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Al-Shanqeeti, Al-Amri, Al Mousa, Kadesh; Kante, Fabinho; Diaby, Aouar, Bergwijn; Benzema
We say: Al Riyadh 0-2 Al Ittihad
Al Ittihad have dominated this fixture since its inception, and they appear poised to extend this dominance, as they are in better form and have superior quality in their squad heading into this clash with Al Riyadh, which is why we are predicting a home win.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.