Ronaldo Returns: Al-Nassr To Face Al-Wehda In Saudi Pro League Match

Al-Nassr will look to extend their four-match unbeaten record in the Saudi Pro League when they take on Al Wahda at Al Awal Park at King Saud University on Friday afternoon. The hosts will kick off gameweek five of the season with eight points after the first four games, while the visitors are down in 14th place with four points over the same period.

Al-Nassr have made a decent start to the new league season, picking up two wins and two draws, but owing to Al-Hilal's flawless record, the Knights of Najd are already trailing the Blue Waves by four points. Al Alami dropped points on the opening day of the season to Al Raed and then again on matchday three against Al Ahli, drawing both games 1-1, while they beat Al Fayha and Al Ettifaq by three-goal margins in their other two matches to date.

Stefano Pioli, who replaced Luis Castro as Nassr's head coach last week, has now notched up consecutive victories in his first two games in charge, including a King's Cup round of 32 away triumph over Al Hazem on Monday night. Sadio Mane opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime for his side in the last match and Nawaf Al-Boushal netted a dramatic winner in stoppage time after Basil Al Sayyali levelled proceedings at the hour mark.

That result marked Al-Nassr's third consecutive unbeaten away result, and they will now need to find the same type of form at Al Awal Park, where they are still in search of their first victory this season. Meanwhile, Al Wahda also booked their spot in the last 16 of the King's Cup this week, but needed penalties to do so after playing out a 1-1 draw in regulation time against Al Faisaly.

The result meant that Fursan Mecca managed to avoid a third consecutive defeat following a 1-0 loss to Al Kholood and a 7-1 thumping at the hands of Al Ittihad directly after returning from the international break. The latter defeat was the only away league game Josef Zinnbauer has taken charge of since joining the club, though he did oversee two pre-season friendlies on the road, both of which ended in draws.

Under the guidance of Georgios Donis last season, Al Wahda posted the fourth-worst away tally in the division, managing just 14 points in 17 games, with a record of four wins, two draws and 11 losses. Unfortunately for the new boss, history suggests that his side are likely to struggle in this one as well, having lost 6-0 to Al-Nassr in their last meeting and failing to beat the Knights of Najd in their last seven attempts, six of which ended in defeat.

Cristiano Ronaldo Returns

Pioli opted to rest club captain Cristiano Ronaldo for the King's Cup victory over Al Hazem at the start of the week, but the Portuguese superstar is expected to return to the starting 11 for this match. Mane opened his account for the season and will likely form part of the trio of attacking midfielders, alongside joint top-scorer Talisca and Brazilian youngster Angelo, who arrived from Chelsea over the summer.

For the visitors, centre-back Abdullah Al-Hafith was withdrawn in the 39th minute in midweek with a knock and has been flagged as a major doubt for the trip to Riyadh on Friday. Craig Goodwin and Odion Ighalo both came off the bench against Al Faisaly and should be brought in from the start here to lead the attack, while Bandar Darwish will not feature owing to suspension.

Match Preview

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup: Bento; Al Ghanam, Simakan, Laporte, Al-Najdi; Al-Khaibari, Otavio; Angelo, Talisca, Mane; Ronaldo

Al Wahda possible starting lineup: De Arruabarrena; Al Mowalad, Al-Hafith, Yamiq, Bakshween; Cretu, Al Makahasi; Amyn, Al-Najei, Goodwin; Ighalo

While Al-Nassr have not been in full flight this season, their record in this fixture is difficult to ignore, and given their star-studded lineup, we feel the Knights of Najd will secure a fairly straightforward victory in this one.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Ronaldo’s Inspiring Message

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr is preparing to face Al-Wehda in the Saudi Pro League on Friday, September 27. Ahead of the match, Ronaldo took to his Instagram account and shared an inspiring message with his fans. Posting a series of training photos, CR7 captioned them, “Working hard,” along with a fire emoji.

After this game, they will compete against Qatari side Al-Rayyan in a crucial AFC Champions League match on Monday. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner recently came back after a viral infection and scored his 902nd career goal in a 3-0 victory against Al-Ettifaq on September 20. Additionally, Ronaldo recently represented Portugal in the Nations League, where he achieved the historic milestone of scoring 900 career goals in a match against Croatia.

Now Al-Nassr star has his eyes set on reaching 1,000 goals before his retirement.

How To Watch Al-Nassr vs Al-Wehda Live

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will receive Al-Wehda in the Matchday 5 of the 2024/2025 Saudi Pro League. You can find out here how to watch this game on TV or live stream it in your country.

Al Nassr will face off against Al-Wehda in the Matchday 5 of the 2024/2025 Saudi Pro League. This guide covers everything you need to know about the game, from the venue details to the different ways you can catch the action live, whether on TV or through streaming options in your country.

[Watch Al-Nassr vs Al-Wehda live for FREE in the USA on Fubo]

Al Nassr are riding high after a crucial victory on Matchday 4, which not only pushed them closer to the top of the standings but also came against one of the toughest opponents in the league, Al-Ettifaq. Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates understand that to remain in contention for the title, they must continue stacking wins and maintaining their momentum.

Next up for Al Nassr is a clash with Al Wehda, a team desperate for points but for different reasons. With just 4 points so far, Al Wehda are hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone and will be eager to secure a result that helps them pull away from the bottom of the table.

Where To Watch Al-Nassr Vs Al-Wehda

Argentina: 12:20 PMAustralia: 1:20 AM (September 28)Bangladesh: 9:20 PMCanada: 11:20 AMFrance: 5:20 PMGermany: 5:20 PMIndia: 8:50 PMIndonesia: 11:20 PMIreland: 4:20 PMItaly: 5:30 PMMalaysia: 11:20 PMMexico: 9:20 AMNetherlands: 5:20 PMNigeria: 4:20 PMPortugal: 4:20 PMSaudi Arabia: 6:20 PMSouth Africa: 5:20 PMSpain: 5:20 PMUAE: 7:20 PMUK: 4:20 PMUnited States: 11:20 AM (ET)

Key Players To Watch

Al Nassr:

Cristiano Ronaldo: The Portuguese superstar will be looking to add to his goal tally and lead Al Nassr to victory.
Sadio Mane: The Senegalese winger has been a key player for Al Nassr this season, and will be looking to provide assists and score goals.
Anderson Talisca: The Brazilian midfielder has also been in good form for Al Nassr this season, and will be looking to control the midfield and create chances for his teammates.

Al Wehda:

Odion Ighalo: The Nigerian striker is Al Wehda's main goal threat, and will be looking to score against his former club.
Craig Goodwin: The Australian midfielder is a creative player who can create chances for his teammates.
Abdullah Al-Hafith: If fit, he will be crucial to Al Wehda's backline.

Match Prediction

The match is likely to be a tight affair, with Al Nassr having the edge in terms of quality and experience. However, Al Wehda will be looking to upset the odds and secure a victory. In conclusion, Al Nassr is the slight favourite, and we predict a score of 2-0 in their favour. However, Al Wehda will be looking to upset the odds and secure a crucial win.