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

Al-Taawoun and Al-Nassr meet on the opening matchday of the new Saudi Pro League season this Friday night in Buraidah.

Jorge Jesus has arrived as manager of Al-Nassr after leaving Al-Hilal at the end of last season, replacing Stefano Pioli, who failed to deliver AFC Champions League football for this campaign.

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Match preview

A third-place finish in the Pro League last season was a let down once again for Al-Nassr, who have been unable to compete since adding Cristiano Ronaldo to their ranks in 2023.

Ronaldo is still trophyless since moving to Saudi Arabia, but the AFC Champions League 2 offers a very real route to silverware, given it is Asia’s equivalent of the Europa League, and they will face Al Zawraa (Iraq), Goa (India) and Istiqlol Dushanbe (Tajikistan) in the group stage.

Al-Nassr’s domestic misery was compounded by a shock semi-final defeat to Kawasaki Frontale in the Champions League, and they would go on to win just two of their final five matches after that huge disappointment.

A 1-1 draw with upcoming opponents Al-Taawoun all but ended their top-two hopes, and they then fell to a poor defeat at Al Fateh on the final day.

Preseason has been busy for Al-Nassr, as they first played four friendlies, beating St Johann, Toulouse and Rio Ave, before losing to Almeria, ahead of the Saudi Super Cup, which was played last week.

Battling adversity following Sadio Mane’s red card, Al-Nassr still managed to beat reigning Saudi champions Al-Ittihad 2-1 in the semi-final, advancing them to the final against Al-Ahli.

It looked for all the world that Ronaldo would finally win his first trophy with the club when Marcelo Brozovic gave them a 2-1 lead with eight minutes left of the final, but Roger Ibanez levelled at the death, and Al-Nassr were first to blink in the shootout, losing 5-3.

Attention will now turn to league and continental matters, and this will be a tough start, as Al-Nassr have won none of the previous three encounters, drawing both league games last season 1-1, after losing 1-0 in a last-16 tie in the cup.

Being outside of the ultra-rich elite clubs in Saudi Arabia, Al-Taawoun impressed by finishing eighth last season, but the gap was huge between them and the top sides.

A whopping 15 points separated them from sixth place, while Al-Ahli, who came fifth, were 22 points ahead, so cup ventures were their only hope.

The Wolves would have been devastated at how their AFC Champions League 2 campaign went though, as they were eliminated by Al Sharjah in the semi-finals 2-1 on aggregate, despite winning the first leg.

After going out of the competition, league form suffered, as Al-Taawoun won just two of their final nine games, losing five, so Pericles Chamusca will hope the new campaign acts as a fresh slate.

Al-Taawoun Preseason form:

L

Al-Nassr Preseason form:

W W W L W D

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Team News

It has been another summer of eye-watering spending at Al-Nassr, as they have brought in three high-profile players from Europe in the form of Kingsley Coman, Joao Felix and Inigo Martinez.

January’s big-money purchase Jhon Duran did not work out though, and the £65m man has already left on loan, so Ronaldo will be the undisputed starter in a central role, after scoring his 100th goal for the club in the Super Cup final.

Aymeric Laporte and Otavio have both been battling injury over the summer, while Mane is banned following his red card against Al-Ittihad last week.

Al-Taawoun have been weakened slightly by the end of Abdelhamid Sabiri’s loan move from Fiorentina, so a lot of the playmaking responsibility will lie on the shoulders of 37-year-old Faycal Fajr again, if he returns from injury in time.

The hosts’ star man will once more be Gambian striker Musa Barrow, who netted 18 goals for the club last season, and is certainly playing well below his true level.

Al-Taawoun possible starting lineup:

Atiah; Mahzari, Al Ahmad, Rivas, Andre Girotto, Al Mufarrij; El Mahdioui, Fajr; Al Kuwaykibi, Barrow, Martinez

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Bento; Boushal, Simakan, Inigo Martinez, Yahya; Al Khaibara, Brozovic; Coman, Joao Felix, Wesley; Ronaldo

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

It will be far from an easy beginning for Al-Nassr, who are facing one of the top clubs outside Saudi Arabia’s elite, but adding the likes of Joao Felix and Coman should give them the edge here.

The hosts have not added much from last season, and even though keeping Barrow is a huge plus, that may not be enough.

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

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