Preview:Al Ittihad vs Al-Nassr - prediction, team news, lineups

Al Ittihad host league leaders Al Nassr at the King Abdullah Sports City on Friday evening, in what could be the first major test of the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League campaign.

Both sides have opened the season with three straight wins, setting up this clash as an early title marker between the reigning champions and their fiercest challengers.

Match preview

Laurent Blanc’s Al Ittihad have carried over the momentum from last season’s title triumph, sitting second in the table with nine points from their opening three games, scoring 10 goals and conceding four.

They have also won four of their six fixtures across all competitions, though defensive lapses have seen them ship eight goals during that run.

The campaign began in style with a 5-2 thrashing of Al Okhdood, highlighted by Karim Benzema’s hat-trick and Steven Bergwijn’s strike.

That was followed by another emphatic 4-2 win over Al Fateh, before N’Golo Kante’s stoppage-time winner secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Al-Najma.

Having stormed to the 2024-25 title by finishing eight points clear of Al Hilal, Ittihad’s aura of dominance remains strong.

Yet, there is an added layer to this fixture as they lost 2-1 to Al Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final earlier this year, and will see this as the perfect chance for revenge.

Form has been mixed in recent weeks, with back-to-back 1-0 wins in the King’s Cup and league followed by a surprising 2-1 defeat to Al Wahda in the AFC Champions League Elite.

Al Nassr, meanwhile, sit top of the table on goal difference, boasting an even more ruthless start to the season.

Jorge Jesus’s men have scored 12 goals and conceded just once in their opening three league fixtures, underlining their attacking firepower and defensive solidity.

Their latest outing saw them dispatch Jeddah 4-0 in the King’s Cup on Tuesday, extending their record to 21 goals across their last five matches.

Portuguese star Joao Felix, one of the headline arrivals of the summer, has hit the ground running with five goals already leading the Golden Boot race, while Cristiano Ronaldo remains the talisman in what could be his final push for a Saudi league crown.

The rivalry between these sides has rarely lacked drama - notably, none of the last seven meetings have ended in a draw.

With both unbeaten this season, the stakes are higher than ever in what could be an early title decider.

Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:

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Al Ittihad form (all competitions):

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Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

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Al-Nassr form (all competitions):

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Team News

Al Ittihad remain without Karim Benzema, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined for the last four matches.

Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti picked up a knock in their most recent league outing, meaning Yan Carlo Simic should continue at the back.

For Al Nassr, Ronaldo will once again lead the line alongside Felix, with Marcelo Brozovic expected to provide stability from midfield.

Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman are also available, giving Jorge Jesus an embarrassment of attacking options.

At the back, Inigo Martinez should continue, while goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi is a doubt due to a hamstring problem.

Saad Al Nasser also remains sidelined with a knee injury.

Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:

Al Absi; Simic, Al Mosa, Pereira, Mitaj; Kante, Aouar, Fabinho; Diaby, Al-Shehri, Bergwijn

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Bento; Boushal, Martinez, Simakan, Ghanam; Mane, Angelo, Brozovic, Coman; Ronaldo, Felix

We say: Al Ittihad 1-2 Al-Nassr

This fixture has all the makings of a classic, but Al Nassr’s depth and blistering attacking form may just give them the edge.

With Felix and Ronaldo firing, and Jesus’s men looking solid at the back, they could hand Ittihad their first defeat of the league season in a tight and entertaining contest.

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