Al Nasr and Al Shabab will face off at Al Awal Park on Saturday at a pivotal moment in the Saudi Pro League season, with both teams going into the match under contrasting pressures as the campaign moves deep into a decisive phase.

The hosts will be looking to arrest a recent dip in form after a strong start to the season, while the visiting nation arrive looking for momentum in the battle to move out of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Al Nasr had an outstanding performance in the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League, establishing themselves as early title contenders with a historic start to the league with 10 straight wins, becoming the first club in Saudi Pro League history to achieve such a feat, surpassing Al Hilal’s 2018-19 benchmark.

Their flawless run was built on a blend of attacking firepower and defensive discipline, with goals flowing freely while conceding to a minimum, with Cristiano Ronaldo consistently providing the decisive moments and playing a pivotal role throughout by leading an undefeated team on the rise.

However, their momentum has stalled since the start of the year, and Jorge Jesus’ side are currently without a win in their last four games, including a 3-1 loss to rivals Al Hilal on Monday. Ronaldo took the lead early on, and three goals in the second half put Al Nasr back in the game.

The setback leaves Al Nasr seven points clear of the unbeaten league leaders with 38 points from 14 games, but concerns have also been raised about their discipline, with two red cards in their last three games.

Furthermore, Al Nasr conceded six penalties, the most in the league, and kept a clean sheet in just two games, the most recent being against Al Faiha on Matchday 3.

Despite their recent struggles, history favors Al Alami in this match, having faced Al Shabab 79 times with 31 wins, 21 draws and 27 losses, and remains unbeaten in their last eight meetings with six wins and two draws, including a 2-2 draw at Al Awal Park in March.

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Al-Shabaab endured a far more difficult 2025-26 season, spending most of the season hovering around the relegation zone with 11 points from 14 games, just two points above the bottom three and in stark contrast to their usual status as continental qualification candidates.

Victories have been hard to come by for the capital club, with their only league victory up until Round 14 coming against Al Hazem on Round 2, their only success in the opening months of the season.

The drought ended on Wednesday with the White Lions winning 3-2 against NEOM Sports Club at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium, with Yannick Carrasco standing out with two goals and an assist, giving Imanol Alguacil’s side a decisive boost of confidence.

Despite this, discipline remains a recurring problem, with Al Shabab frequently reduced to nine men and ranking among the league’s worst red card offenders, with four sending offs in the last two matches against Al Fateh and Al Ta’oun, and one against Al Ahly in October.

Defensively, their record is somewhat encouraging compared to other contenders, with 22 goals scored, which is relatively modest for a lower-ranked side, but this is offset by the league’s highest number of penalties conceded (six goals), while clean sheets have been few and far between, with just two goals scored all season (most recently against Al Faiha in Matchday 3).

Meanwhile, Imanol Alguacil’s side have similarly struggled to score, scoring just 12 goals in 14 league games, one of the lowest in the division.

Prior to the win against NEOM, the team had lost four straight, including a heartbreaking loss to Al Ta’oun, and while the recent victory was only their second league win of the season, it could potentially be an important one to build momentum for the coming weeks.

Al Nasr Saudi Pro League Format:

Al Nasr form (all competitions):

Al Shabaab Saudi Pro League Format:

Al-Shabab Form (all competitions):

team news

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Al Nasr will be without several key players for Saturday’s match, as the team has been forced to miss multiple matches after having a tough night in the recent loss to Al Hilal.

Goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi was sent off shortly after the opening minute of the game against Al Hilal when his outstretched arm grabbed Ruben Neves’ face, and he was replaced by Mubarak Al Bouaninin during the game, which will serve as a suspension. Defender Nawaf Boushar and midfielder Marcelo Brozovic will also be sidelined due to suspension.

Another notable absentee for Al Nasr is Sadio Mane. The Senegalese international represented Morocco’s Teranga Lions, who once again led his country to the finals of the African Cup of Nations.

In addition, Mohamed Simakan remains sidelined with a muscular injury sustained on Monday, while Sami Al Najei continues long-term treatment with a knee problem, last appearing for the club in August, but Ronaldo is available and expected to lead the way once again after taking his season tally to 15 goals in the defeat against Al Hilal.

Al Shabab also arrive with serious problems with their own selection, with Mohamed Halbusch out with a cruciate ligament injury, and Abdullah Matouk, Mohamed Al Shuwayreq and Ali Makki all absent due to suspensions for red cards in recent matches.

But there is also good news for al-Shabaab. Striker Abdellazak Hamdallah is expected to return to action after representing Morocco at the 2025 Arab Cup, while captain Carrasco, who has scored seven goals this season, including two in Wednesday’s win over NEOM, will once again be at the center of the team’s attacking hopes.

Al Nasr’s projected starting lineup:

Al Buaninin. Boushar, Al-Hassan, Martinez, Yahya. Al-Khaibari, Ghaleeb, Angelo. Coman, Felix, Ronaldo

Al-Shabab starting candidates:

Grohe. Al-Thani, Brownhill, Hoet, Barobaid; Adri, Cielo, Hernandez. Carrasco, Al Hammami, Hamdallah

Al Nasr 4-2 Al Shabab

Although Al Nasr enter the tournament struggling to maintain their form, Al Shabaab see this situation as an opportunity to challenge the recent dominance their opponents have enjoyed in this fixture, and believe they have a real chance of securing a positive result if they can take advantage of the hosts’ recent difficulties.

Despite these concerns, Al Nasr still have good attacking qualities that can disrupt any defense, and it is expected that Ronaldo and Felix will play key roles and potentially increase their scoring tally this season.

The match may not be a simple one, but the final scoreline could ultimately suggest a more comfortable outcome for the hosts than the contest itself suggests.

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