On Monday, the sixth round of the Saudi Professional League begins with two matches, at the “Kingdom Arena” in the capital, Riyadh. Al-Hilal, which sits alone at the top of the standings, receives its counterpart, NEOM, in a new test of the ambitions of the two teams, while Al-Khaleej and Riyadh look to heal their wounds when they meet in Dammam after two heavy losses in the last round.
Al Hilal enters the match against NEOM in its best form, after succeeding in being alone at the top of the standings with 15 points, achieving the full score from five matches, confirming its strong start under the leadership of Italian Simone Inzaghi.
Al-Hilal received a morale boost with its 2-0 victory over Al-Shabab in the last round, raising its score to 15 points from 5 matches. The importance of this victory increased after Al-Nasr stumbled outside its stadium against Al-Ittihad, leaving it alone at the top of the competition.
NEOM achieved its first victory in 3 matches, raising its score to nine points in seventh place. Al Hilal aspires to add a sixth victory and continue its lead in the search for regaining the league title that has been absent from its coffers for two seasons, benefiting from the abundance of options it now has after the series of large deals it concluded.
Englishman Ollie Watkins is among Inzaghi's most prominent new offensive weapons after he scored quickly in his first appearance against Al-Ahly, along with Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli and Dutchman Crescencio Summerville, in a front line that gives Al-Hilal great diversity in offensive solutions.
While the team's offensive options appear to be at their best, the absence continues on the defensive side. Al Hilal is still missing Frenchman Theo Hernandez and Ali Lagami, after they were injured during the confrontation with Al Ahly.
Despite the advantage that Al Hilal has on paper, NEOM arrives in the capital after regaining its balance in the last round, when it put an end to two consecutive losses and achieved a broad victory over Al Khaleej by three clean goals, restoring something of the distinctive image it appeared with at the start of the season.
Frenchman Christophe Galtier, coach of NEOM, knows that facing the leaders is different from previous tests, but he refused to let the differences between the two teams become a reason for his players to enter with a conservative mentality.
Galtier said before the match: “Al Hilal is one of the best teams in Saudi Arabia and the continent of Asia, and it has 5 victories and 17 goals, and it has also strengthened its ranks with players from the English Premier League. We must respect him, but not fear him. This match represents a great motivation for us to give everything we have, and we must go to Riyadh with a victory mentality despite the differences between the two teams.”
The French coach believes that the test will reveal a lot about the character of his team, adding: “A great defensive effort must be made to confront Al Hilal’s attack, as well as getting the ball out of our areas in a safe manner. When you face big teams, the match is a reflection of your team’s personality.”
NEOM does not enter the confrontation fully formed; Galtier confirmed the continued absence of Saeed Benrahma, Abdulaziz Al-Othman and the Greek Giorgos Masouras, at a time when the technical staff is still monitoring the readiness of a number of offensive elements.
The participation of Argentine Valentin Vada from the beginning remains subject to evaluation, after Galtier confirmed in response to Asharq Al-Awsat’s question that he is physically ready, noting that he has not participated in the team’s camp since the beginning of the season.
In front of Al Hilal's offensive power, NEOM needs a great deal of discipline, but Galtier does not want to see his team retreat throughout the match. He stressed the need to be courageous when possessing the ball, in a confrontation that he considers a real test of his team’s project and its ability to compete with adults.
In Dammam, the confrontation between the Gulf and Riyadh appears completely different in its circumstances. The two teams enter it looking to stop the effects of two harsh losses, and to obtain points that will relieve the increasing pressure at the beginning of the season. The Gulf is experiencing one of its most difficult periods under the leadership of Portuguese Jose Gomez, after five rounds passed without the team tasting victory, contenting itself with three draws versus two losses.
The two losses were not normal for the Gulf; It conceded eight goals during the last two rounds. Five against Al Hilal to one goal, then three without a response against NEOM, dropping to sixteenth place with 3 points.
The Gulf realizes that confronting Riyadh represents an important opportunity to change its course. His first victory will not only give him a morale boost, but will reshape his position in the rankings and bring him closer to his direct competitor.
As for Riyadh, Faisal arrives in Dammam and is in turn looking for a reaction after its heavy loss to Al-Ahly by five goals in the last round, a result that stopped the positive situation that the team experienced after its victory over NEOM before that.
The Brazilian team, Mauricio Dulac, has 4 points in twelfth place, collected from a victory and a draw, compared to three defeats, which puts it only one point away from Al-Khaleej, despite the difference between their positions in the ranking table.
