Preview: Al Hazem vs Al-Hilal - prediction, team news, lineups

Al Hazem will be looking to make the most of their impressive home form when they host second-placed Al-Hilal at the Al Hazem Club Stadium on Saturday evening in a Saudi Pro League encounter that pits a mid-table side against one of the division’s most formidable outfits.

The hosts arrive into the fixture unbeaten in their last six home games, while Al-Hilal travel to the Al Hazem Club Stadium yet to taste defeat in the Saudi Pro League this season and still harbouring slim hopes of catching leaders Al Nassr at the summit.

Match preview

Al Hazem head into the final stages of the Saudi Pro League campaign with their primary objective already within reach, sitting ninth in the table with 38 points from 10 wins, eight draws and 12 defeats - a position that confirms their top-flight status for another season following promotion.

Relegation is no longer a concern for Jalel Kadri’s side, and securing a comfortable mid-table finish represents a satisfactory outcome for a newly promoted team that has exceeded expectations in their first season back in the Pro League.

Their recent form has been a blend of resilience and inconsistency, with three wins, one draw and one defeat from their last five outings producing 10 goals scored and seven conceded - a return that highlights the defensive vulnerabilities that have been a feature of their campaign.

The most recent of those fixtures ended in a 1-1 draw against NEOM SC, a result that typified the pattern of a side capable of competing but unable to consistently convert that competitiveness into maximum points.

At home, however, Al Hazem have been a considerably more threatening proposition, going unbeaten across their last six home fixtures with five wins during that run.

The head-to-head record between these two sides offers little encouragement for the hosts, with Al-Hilal having won all five of their last meetings, the most recent of which ended in a 3-0 victory for the visitors.

Al-Hilal arrive at the Al Hazem Club Stadium as the Saudi Pro League’s most consistent side this season, remaining unbeaten across 29 league matches with a record of 21 wins and eight draws to sit second in the table with 68 points.

The gap to leaders Al Nassr stands at eight points with only a handful of matchdays remaining, making the title an unlikely outcome for Simone Inzaghi’s side, though they can still end the season with silverware, having reached the King’s Cup of Champions final.

Their attacking numbers continue to impress, with 76 goals scored and only 25 conceded across the campaign, while an away record of nine wins and four draws without a single defeat speaks to a side that carries a genuine threat regardless of the venue.

Inzaghi’s side secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Damac FC in their most recent league outing, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s 18th-minute strike proving to be the decisive moment - a result that maintained their unbeaten league record heading into the weekend.

Al Hazem Saudi Pro League form:

LWLWWD

Al-Hilal Saudi Pro League form:

WWWDWW

Al-Hilal form (all competitions):

WDDWDW

Team News

Al Hazem come into the fixture with no injury concerns, giving Kadri a full squad to select from ahead of Saturday’s home clash.

Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, Abdullah Al-Shanqiti, Abdulrahman Al-Dakheel and Saud Al-Rashid are expected to form the back four, with Ibrahim Zaid continuing in goal behind them.

Rosier Lorientz, Aboubacar Bah and Abdulrahman Al-Khaibary are set to anchor the midfield, while Elias Mokwana provides support from the wide areas.

Al-Hilal will be without Saimon Bouabre, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Hamad Al Yami is also unavailable with a kneecap problem.

Murad Al Hawsawi remains a doubt with a knee injury and faces a late fitness assessment ahead of kickoff.

Malcom, Karim Benzema and Salem Al-Dawsari are expected to lead the attack once more, with Ruben Neves, Milinkovic-Savic, and Mohamed Kanno set to continue in midfield behind them.

Al Hazem possible starting lineup:

Zaid; Al-Rashid, Al Dakheel, Al-Shanqiti, Al-Harbi; Rosier, Al-Khaibary, Bah; Martins, Al Soma, Mokwana

Al-Hilal possible starting lineup:

Bono; Hernandez, Akcicek, Tambakti, Al-Harbi; Milinkovic-Savic, Neves, Kanno; Malcom, Benzema, Al-Dawsari

We say: Al Hazem 0-2 Al-Hilal

Al-Hilal’s unbeaten league record and superior quality across every position make them overwhelming favourites here, and Inzaghi’s side should have little difficulty claiming all three points on the road.

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