The Saudi Pro League (SPL), in the last two seasons, has become a fertile competitive field for cash -rich teams, with some of the largest football superstars who exercise their trade in Asia for high wages.
In the past two years, the value of the league has multiplied 224 times, from 314 million euros to 1.02 billion euros, with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema appearing in the League.
On Saturday, two of the most expensive teams of this league will face each other, with Al Ittihad (the team worth 119.38 million euros) welcoming Al Hilal (Squad valued at 178.50 million euros) at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium here here in what could be a potential title decender.
Directed by the winner of the Ballon d’Or Benzema, who moved to SPL for a salary reported of 100 million euros per year last season, Al Ittihad was on a momentum this season.
Karim Benzema signals fans during his presentation as a new signature for Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League. | Photo credit: Reuters
Karim Benzema signals fans during his presentation as a new signature for Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League. | Photo credit: Reuters
He is currently at the top of the points table, four points from the title champion Al Hilal, and will be impatient to increase the gap with a victory.
“It’s a huge game for us as well as fans. Al Ittihad and Al Hilal have shared a long history of rivals, and our players are motivated to give their best. We are ready not only to play against them, but to win the match. My priority right now is to win the match against them, and I hope that my players have the same mentality, “said Al Ittihad coach Laurent Blanc, at the pre-match press conference .
If Al Ittihad crosses the barrier of Al Hilal, it could be smooth for the rest of the season.
Of the remaining 14 games, nine of them are against teams which are not currently in the top five, including two against the sides threatened by the relegation Al Fateh and Al Akhdoud.
Al Ittihad, who won the League title in 2023, finished fifth from the League last season, without silverware in his office. However, the tides have turned since the start of the 2024 season, with the appointment of the former Paris Saint-Germain boss, white as a head coach of the club.
With a multitude of new signatures in the 2024 summer transfer window, Al Ittihad strengthened his team with Moussa Diaby, who is leading the list of most passes. This season, has been in red form, scoring eight goals and helping six times in 18 games.
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“One of the reasons for the change is the players we have brought, Moussa (Diaby) and Steven (Bergwijn), to name just a few. But I don’t think we can distinguish an aspect of improvement compared to last year. It is a continuous effort to improve, and we are satisfied with where we are currently, ”said White.
Al Hilal’s attack, on the other hand, shot all cylinders. Marcos Leonardo, who came from Benfica before this season, scored 13 goals, with at least one goal in his last eight championship games.
He found the support through Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Aldawsari, who both have more involvement of objectives in the league.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Al Hilal FC warmed up before a Saudi Sadi Pro League match between Al Hilal and Al Riyadh to Kingdom Arena. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Al Hilal FC warmed up before a Saudi Sadi Pro League match between Al Hilal and Al Riyadh to Kingdom Arena. | Photo credit: Getty Images
But the men of White will be prepared to meet the title champion with equal quality, having a backline flexible enough to welcome wingbacks while facing a high pressure team like Al Hilal.
Their defensive efficiency has been reflected in the figures this season because they have the second best goal difference this season so far.
In addition, Benzema has been the catalyst for the success of his team so far, with 15 goals and seven assists in 17 games. He has already exceeded his count of 10 goals in his first SPL season.
“I am sure we have not seen the best of him (Benzema). Because a player in his profile scores a lot of goals, and that’s exactly what he did for us. He has been doing this for a very long time and from an early age, as you see in (Kylian) Mbappe now. Karim marking a lot of goals is not a surprise for me, ”said White on his star attacker.
“To have a player like Karim or (Cristiano) Ronaldo, a coach must be lucky; I think I’m lucky in this direction, “he added.
The teams clashed twice this season. The first went to 3-1 in favor of Al Hilal, but their last meeting in the quarter-final of the King’s Cup saw Al Ittihad win 3-1 in penalties, and the men of Benzema hope for a similar result this weekend- end.
(Tagstotranslate) al Ittihad vs al hila preview
