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

Al-Nassr will face Al-Ittihad in the semifinal of the 2025 Saudi Super Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium on Tuesday, with both sides looking to book a spot in the final.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) confirmed that this year’s competition would be staged in Hong Kong, running from 19 to 23 August 2025.

Match preview

The tournament was originally set to feature the winners and runners-up of the 2024-25 King Cup and Saudi Pro League, but with Al-Ittihad winning both competitions, the extra spot was handed to the third-placed team in the league.

Runners-up Al-Hilal later withdrew due to their participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, meaning their place went to the fifth-placed team, as fourth-placed Al-Qadsiah had already qualified via the King Cup.

This will be Al-Ittihad’s fifth appearance in the Super Cup, with their most recent in 2023 ending as runners-up, and they have lifted the trophy once, back in 2022, the year the competition was expanded into its current four-team format.

The Tigers dominated this fixture in last season’s league meetings, with Laurent Blanc’s men claiming 2-1 and 3-2 victories, reasserting control after losing both encounters in 2023-24.

However, their summer friendlies cast some doubt over their readiness, as they suffered defeats to Fenerbahce, Fulham and Portimonense, winning only against Portuguese side Leiria.

Al-Nassr, meanwhile, will be making their seventh Super Cup appearance and their second in a row, having finished as runners-up last season after a 4-1 defeat to Al-Hilal in the final.

The Global One are two-time winners of the competition and earned their spot this year as a result of Al-Ittihad’s domestic double.

Jorge Jesus’s side enjoyed a productive pre-season, winning against SK St. Johann, Toulouse and Rio Ave, though they ended with a defeat to Spanish outfit Almeria.

Historically, Al-Nassr have struggled in this fixture, winning just two of their last 15 encounters with Al-Ittihad, including a 3-1 defeat in the 2023 Super Cup.

Al-Nassr form (all competitions):

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Al-Ittihad form (all competitions):

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Team News

Al-Ittihad will be without goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic due to a muscle injury, while defender Hassan Kadesh remains a doubt.

Karim Benzema, who netted 21 goals last season, leading the team to a domestic double, will once again be the focal point in attack.

For Al-Nassr, midfielder Sami Al-Najai remains sidelined with an ACL injury despite appearing on tour with the team.

New signing Inigo Martinez is expected to continue his partnership with Abdulelah Al-Amri in central defence from the game against Almeria.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been in sensational form, scoring six goals in his last three matches, including a hat-trick against Rio Ave and a brace versus Almeria, and he will look to carry that momentum into the competition.

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Bento; Al Ghanam, Alamri, Martinez, Boushal; Gabriel, Brozovic, Wesley; Felix, Ronaldo, Mane

Al-Ittihad possible starting lineup:

Al-Shanqiti; Al-Mousa, Pereira, Sharahili, Rodriguez; Kante, Fabinho; Diaby, Hernandez, Bergwijn; Benzema

We say: Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Ittihad

Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad have plenty of attacking quality on display, but a difference is that the Tigers have shown they can rise to big occasions in recent years, and while the Global Ones have had the better results in pre-season, Ittihad have shown more grit when it matters.

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