Riyadh, October 30, 2024 – Football fans in Saudi Arabia are eagerly anticipating the highly anticipated “Derby Week” in the Saudi Pro League, a new feature of the tournament aimed at amplifying excitement and drawing greater attention to the league. The action begins tomorrow, Thursday, when Al-Ittihad hosts its traditional rivals, Al-Ahli, followed by a thrilling encounter on Friday, where defending champions Al-Hilal take on Al-Nassr.
A New Tradition for More Excitement
The Saudi Pro League announced Derby Week back in July 2024, stating that dedicating a week to showcase the league’s biggest rivalries is intended to “add more excitement” to the tournament.
Current League Standings
- Al-Hilal tops the table with 24 points, leading Al-Ittihad by three points.
- Al-Nassr trails in third with 18 points after a 3-3 draw against Al-Kholood in their previous match, a game marked by the absence of their star forward, Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Al-Ahli, currently in eighth place with 11 points, sits four points outside the top four after a 1-1 draw with Al-Okhdood.
The Jeddah Derby: Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Ahli
Despite a strong start to the season, Al-Ittihad has only suffered one defeat in eight matches—a loss to Al-Hilal. Under the guidance of Laurent Blanc, Al-Ittihad aims to secure its fifth consecutive victory when it hosts fierce rivals Al-Ahli at the Jeddah Derby.
While N’Golo Kanté scored the only goal in their 1-0 victory against Al-Riyadh last week, the team’s performance left fans wanting more. However, coach Blanc emphasized that “winning is what matters, even if the level of play isn’t at its best.”
Al-Ahli, meanwhile, is struggling to carry its stellar Asian Champions League form into the domestic league. Despite a perfect record in their first three group-stage matches in the western region, coach Matthias Jaissle has found success harder to come by in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Ahli has endured three losses and two draws in domestic competition, and was also eliminated from the King’s Cup by Al-Jandal, a second-division team, in the Round of 32.
Local reports suggest that Jaissle’s position at the club is under scrutiny, with speculation of his departure resurfacing after every poor result.
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Author: nor-eleslam
Saudi Pro League, Derby Week, Al-Hilal vs Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad vs Al-Ahli
