Cristiano Ronaldo makes his competitive bow for Al-Nassr when they host Al Ittifaq at Mrsool Park in Sunday's Saudi Pro League showdown.
The nine-time champions find themselves second in the table after 13 games of the 2022-23 season, while their visitors are languishing in mid-table obscurity in 10th place.
Match preview
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Starting life in a new league and new country the only way he knows how, Ronaldo was on target twice as a Riyadh All-Star XI – made up of players from Al-Nassr and reigning champions Al-Hilal – played out a nine-goal spectacular with Paris Saint-Germain in the inaugural Riyadh Season Cup.
As well as Ronaldo's brace, Anderson Talisca and Jang Hyun-soo also came up with goals for the All-Star team versus a full-strength PSG, but Ronaldo's long-time adversary Lionel Messi scored one of PSG's five efforts, with Marquinhos, Sergio Ramos, Hugo Ekitike and Kylian Mbappe also on target for the 10-man Parisiens, who had Juan Bernat sent off.
Neymar also missed a penalty in the King Fahd goalfest, but friendly matters now take a backseat for Ronaldo and co, as Al-Nassr aim to regain their grip on first place in the Saudi Pro League table after being usurped by Al-Ittihad – whom they will lock horns with in next week's Super Cup.
Rudi Garcia's men dropped two points in a 0-0 draw away to Al-Shabab on January 14, but their title destiny is still in their own hands, as they only sit one point behind Al-Ittihad with a game in hand and also hold a one-point lead over Al-Hilal in third.
Entering Sunday's game on a 12-match unbeaten run in all tournaments and with the league's best attacking record to shout about – scoring 27 goals so far – most will expect Ronaldo's competitive debut for Al-Nassr to be a wholly successful one.
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Meanwhile, Al Ittifaq's habit of winning one then losing one continued in their showdown at Al-Fateh on January 12, as Patrice Carteron's inconsistent side were defeated 2-0 in a forgettable affair.
Goals either side of the half-time whistle from Majed Omar Kanabah and Marwane Saadane did the damage, and Al Ittifaq also had left-back Sanousi Al-Hawsawi given a straight red card during a humbling afternoon for former Dijon and Mali manager Carteron.
Al Ittifaq – who have been crowned Saudi champions twice in their history, with their last title triumph coming in 1987 – have taken 16 points from 13 on offer to sit 10th in the table at the time of writing, although not since February 2022 have they suffered back-to-back defeats in the division.
Impressively, only the top four sides have shipped fewer than the visitors' 12 goals in the Saudi Pro League this season, and Al Ittifaq have lost just one of their last five showdowns with Al-Nassr, although the hosts did not have a five-time Ballon d'Or winner in their ranks back then.
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Team News
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After wearing the captain's armband against PSG, Ronaldo will expect to spearhead the Al-Nassr attack on Sunday after his arrival forced Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar out of the club.
Garcia's squad is in relatively good shape ahead of this game, with left-back Ghislain Konan featuring against PSG after missing Al-Nassr's last two league games, while ex-Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina is reportedly set for a six-week layoff after suffering an elbow injury against Al-Shabab.
Al-Nassr are said to be considering a move for PSG's Keylor Navas following Ospina's injury, but for the time being, Amin Al-Bukhari will deputise in between the posts.
As for the visitors, Abdulrahman Al-Obaid should fill in for the suspended Al-Hawsawi at left-back, while Macedonian centre-back Darko Velkovski is out with an unspecified injury.
A recognisable face should also start up top for the visitors, with Sweden international Robin Quaison – who arrived from Mainz 05 in 2021 - aiming to score just his second league goal of the season.
Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:
Al-Bukhari; Gonzalez, Al-Amri, Al-Oujami; Al-Ghannam, Gustavo, Al-Khaibari, Konan; Talisca, Ronaldo, Martinez
Al Ittifaq possible starting lineup:
Victor; Al-Mowalad, Al-Mousa, Khateeb, Tisserand, Al-Obaid; Al-Kuwaykibi, Mohannashi, Hazazi, Vitinho; Quaison
We say: Al-Nassr 3-0 Al Ittifaq
Even if Ronaldo had not made the sensational move to the Middle East, a defensively sound and prolific Al-Nassr side would have likely had no problems overcoming a Commandos side who do not tend to travel well.
With Quaison also struggling to find his best shooting boots this season, Carteron's men will surely succumb to a comprehensive defeat as Al-Nassr eye a return to the top of the rankings.
Ben Knapton
