Al-Awwal Park plays host on Friday as Al-Nassr welcome Al-Taawoun, with the home team knowing that anything short of victory could spell the end of their hopes for continental football next season.
Although Stefano Pioli's men dished out a brutal thrashing to Al Okhdood last time out, they sit third with 63 points — five adrift of second-placed Al Hilal — leaving the Big Yellows with precious little margin for error in the final three matchdays of the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League campaign.
Match preview
© Imago
Despite boasting some of the division's most recognisable names, including the evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr find themselves in danger of finishing another season without a major trophy, having last lifted the league title in 2018-19.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner made his much-publicised move to the Riyadh outfit in January 2023, but the Sun Club have since played catch-up to Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal and would gladly take another second-placed finish this time if it keeps their continental hopes alive.
Al-Nassr's journey in the AFC Champions League Elite ended at the semi-final stage with a painful exit at the hands of Kawasaki Frontale, and with fellow Saudi side Al Ahli going on to win the tournament, the number of league slots for the next edition has now been trimmed to two.
That has significantly raised the stakes for Pioli's men, who must now follow up last week's statement victory – the biggest away win in the top flight this season – with a near-flawless finish to secure a top-two berth and avoid missing out on a return to Asia's grandest stage.
Their 9-0 demolition of Al Okhdood was the perfect response to the disappointing defeat against leaders Al Ittihad in the previous round, and impressively, that emphatic triumph came with Ronaldo absent from the squad.
Eyebrows were raised when the Portuguese icon was omitted from the matchday team, though it later emerged that fitness issues were behind the decision, and Sadio Mane ensured his absence was not felt too heavily by firing in four goals in a ruthless attacking display.
While Al-Nassr have dazzled on the road, their performances on their own turf have left much to be desired, with the team dropping points in seven of their 15 top-flight games at home this term.
This patchy record becomes even more worrying considering their recent struggles against Friday's visitors, having lost both of the last two meetings at Al-Awwal — a 2-0 league defeat last season followed by an elimination from the King Cup back in October.
Indeed, Al-Taawoun have been a hard nut to crack for Al-Nassr in recent meetings, with the Sukkari Al-Qassim taking a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw earlier this year, and they now have the chance to navigate an entire top-flight season without losing to the Riyadh-based club for only the second time ever.
However, their recent run of results does not make for pleasant reading, as Mohammed Al-Abdali's men have suffered defeats in three of their last four matches while drawing a blank in all of those setbacks.
Al-Taawoun's latest outing ended in a 1-0 home loss to Al Quadisiya, and with their current tally of 41 points, they find themselves safely placed in mid-table but mathematically out of the race for continental qualification.
After a strong fourth-place finish last season, this has been a relatively underwhelming campaign for the Wolves, who have no chance of matching last term's haul of 59 but will still aim to finish with a flourish.
Al-Taawoun have enjoyed a decent record on the road in 2024-25, claiming five wins and three draws from 15 away games in the top-flight campaign, though their last two trips have ended without victory (D1 L1).
Team News
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Having finished their last encounter unscathed, Al-Nassr enter this fixture with no new injury concerns, though Almeric Laporte could miss a third consecutive league match.
Captain Ronaldo is expected to return, which may see head coach Pioli revert to a 4-4-2 formation, with the 40-year-old forward pairing up front with Jhon Duran, who netted a brace against Al Okhdood.
Meanwhile, Marcelo Brozovic, who also found the back of the net in that encounter, will be suspended after crossing the booking threshold.
For the visitors, despite Andrei Girotto's unfortunate own goal that contributed to their defeat last time out, the Brazilian is likely to continue, partnering Waleed Al-Ahmed at the heart of the defence.
On the injury front, Mailson, Rakan Al Tulayhi and Awn Al Slaluli are doubtful for this encounter as they work their way back to full fitness.
Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:
Bento; Ghanam, Simakan, Alawjami, Boushal; Mane, Otavio, Al Sulaiheem, Yahya; Duran, Ronaldo
Al-Taawoun possible starting lineup:
Atiah; Mahrazi, Girotto, Al-Ahmed, Al Nasser; El Mahdioui, Al Kuwaykibi, Barrow, Fajr, Mandash; Martinez
We say: Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Taawoun
While Al-Nassr have not always been dominant in recent meetings between the sides, the urgency of securing a victory to keep their continental aspirations alive should provide the necessary motivation against a team with little to play for.
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Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
