Preview: NEOM SC vs Al-Ittihad - prediction, team news, lineups

Al-Ittihad will be aiming to make it successive wins in the Saudi Pro League when they travel to NEOM SC on Wednesday.

The visitors are sixth in the Saudi Pro League table, boasting 17 points from their opening 10 games of the season, while NEOM SC are in seventh, also picking up 17 points from their first 10 games of the 2025-26 campaign.

Match preview

NEOM SC secured a spot in the Saudi Pro League courtesy of their First Division success in 2024-25, and it has been an impressive campaign to date for Christophe Galtier's side.

The home side have a record of five wins, two draws and three defeats from their 10 matches, with 17 points leaving them in seventh spot in the division, level on points with sixth-placed Al-Ittihad and just two points behind fourth-placed Al-Ahli.

Galtier's team will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 success over Al Najma, and they have picked up seven points from their last four games during a strong run of form.

NEOM SC have scored 15 times and also conceded 15 in their 10 league games this term, and the fact that they have won half of their Saudi Pro League fixtures during the 2025-26 campaign is a huge positive.

Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, will enter the match off the back of a 2-0 success over Al-Shabab, with the win proving to be their fifth in the Saudi Pro League during the current season.

Like NEOM SC, Al-Ittihad have a record of five wins, two draws and three defeats from their 10 league games this term, which has left them in sixth spot in the table.

The reigning Saudi Pro League champions are some 13 points behind the leaders Al-Nassr, though, so it has been a disappointing opening to the campaign.

Sergio Conceicao's side are also eight points from third-placed Al-Taawon, with the top three opening up a healthy gap on the rest at this stage of the season.

Al-Ittihad are unbeaten on their travels in the Saudi Pro League this season, winning two and drawing two of their four matches, while NEOM SC have seven points to show from their five games in front of their own supporters.

NEOM SC Saudi Pro League form:

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Al-Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:

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Al-Ittihad form (all competitions):

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Team News

NEOM SC will be without the services of Ahmed Hegazy, Abbas Al-Hassan and Salman Al-Faraj for this contest due to injury problems.

Alexandre Lacazette has been in impressive form during the current season, scoring five times in 11 appearances, and the experienced striker will again be in the XI.

Ex-Premier League players Said Benrahma and Abdoulaye Doucoure are also expected to be among the starters for the home side.

As for Al-Ittihad, Saad Al-Mousa and Houssem Aouar are out of the match due to injury problems, but the away side are otherwise in strong shape.

Karim Benzema has once again been in impressive scoring form, scoring 12 times in 13 appearances, and the ex-Real Madrid striker will continue in the final third.

Meanwhile, there will be starts for former Premier League midfielders Fabinho and N'Golo Kante; Steven Bergwijn, who has seven goals in 15 appearances this term, is also set to be among those in the Al-Ittihad side on Wednesday.

NEOM SC possible starting lineup:

Maximiano; Al Asmari, Al Dawsari, Zeze, Abdi; Al Ali, Doucoure, Kone, Benrahma; Abdu, Lacazette

Al-Ittihad possible starting lineup:

Rajkovic; Al Shanqiti, Pereira, Kadesh, Mitaj; Fabinho, Kante, Al Ghamdi; Bergwijn, Benzema, Roger

We say: NEOM SC 1-2 Al-Ittihad

NEOM SC are more than capable of making this a tricky match for Al-Ittihad, and we are expecting the home side to find the back of the net, but Al-Ittihad's quality should allow them to pick up a valuable three points.

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