Preview:Al Ittihad vs. Al Fateh - prediction, team news, lineups

Defending Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad host Al Fateh in gameweek two, aiming to secure maximum points in their first match at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

Laurent Blanc’s team beat Al Okhdood 5-2 in the opening game of their title defence, while the visitors suffered a narrow 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Al Fayha.

Match preview

After losing to Al-Nassr in the semi-final of the Saudi Super Cup, the People’s Club needed a response in the first match of their league title defence against Al Okhdood.

Blanc’s troops delivered just that, scoring five goals in a 5-2 victory over last season’s 15th-placed side, with Karim Benzema netting one of two hat-tricks in gameweek one — Joao Felix of Al-Nassr did the same — to send a clear warning to the entire league.

By winning on the opening weekend, Al Ittihad have improved to 15 wins from 22 matches in 2025, two more than Al-Nassr (48), with only two defeats during that period.

Having secured 16 wins and one draw in 17 top-flight fixtures in Jeddah last season, the home supporters will expect maximum points in Friday's clash.

This expectation is supported by Al Ittihad's winning streak over Al Fateh in Jeddah, with the People's Club winning the last five league matches against their round two opponents, outscoring them 14-3.

However, Jose Gomes's team will remind observers that they inflicted one of Al Ittihad's two Saudi Pro League defeats in 2025.

While that victory for Al Namothji was in Al-Mubarraz, it broke a streak of five consecutive losses in this fixture and also ended a four-year wait for success against the Jeddah-based club.

Now, Gomes aims to mastermind Al Fateh's first victory over Al Ittihad since beating the People's Club 2-1 in a King's Cup quarter-final match in March 2021.

You would have to go back two years to find the last time Al Fateh avoided a league defeat in Jeddah — a 1-1 draw in December 2019 — while their last away victory over Friday's hosts came in March 2013.

Those statistics and history reveal the uphill challenge facing Gomes's team in the upcoming gameweek as they seek to respond to last weekend's narrow home defeat, which marked the start of the new campaign.

Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:

Al Ittihad form (all competitions):

Al Fateh Saudi Pro League form:

Team News

Although Al Okhdood’s Juan Pedroza scored a brace, Benzema responded with three to jointly lead the goalscoring charts along with Al-Nassr's Felix.

Steven Bergwijn not only scored in the 5-2 win, but the Dutchman also provided an assist, which was well deserved for the wide attacker who created more chances (four) than anyone else on the pitch.

While Blanc's team came through that league opener unscathed, Predrag Rajkovic remains sidelined due to a muscle complaint.

Although Gomes's team finished gameweek one without injuries, Al Fateh will be without Amine Sbai after the Frenchman's sending-off in the 21st minute against Al Fayha.

Zaydou Youssouf scored for Al Namothji in that defeat, and the Comoros international is expected to start in a central midfield pairing with last season's 12-goal scorer Sofiane Bendebka.

Mourad Batna, last season's top scorer with 13 goals, is expected to retain his place on the right flank as the Role Model aim for a historic win in Jeddah.

Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:

Al-Absi; Mitaj, Danilo, Al-Mousa, Shanqeeti; Kante, Fabinho, Aouar; Bergwijn, Benzema, Diaby

Al Fateh possible starting lineup:

Bukhari; Baattia, Fernandes, Saadane, Qasheesh; Batna, Youssouf, Bendebka, Al-Zubaidi; Anazi, Vargas

We say: Al Ittihad 3-1 Al Fateh

Only five Saudi Pro League clubs have outscored Al Fateh in the calendar year, giving the visitors hope of finding the net in Jeddah on Saturday.

However, the Benzema-led hosts should overpower their opponents and improve to 17 wins and a draw in 18 top-flight games at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

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