Al Shabab vs Al-Nassr - prediction, team news, lineups

Cristiano Ronaldo could determination importantly person to his archetypal Saudi Pro League rubric connected Thursday, erstwhile his Al-Nassr broadside look hosts Al Shabab astatine SHG Arena.

The first-placed visitors' tally of 79 points means they caput into the weekend's clash 2 points successful beforehand of second-placed Al Hilal with conscionable 3 matchweeks remaining, portion the location broadside are 13th with conscionable 32 points.

Match preview

Al Shabab were beaten 5-1 by Al-Taawoun connected Saturday, and possibly the astir concerning facet of that show was that they initially led 1-0.after taking a 24th-minute lead, lone to way 4-1 by the 53rd minute.

The hosts are 9 points and 3 places up of last relegation spot, truthful they should not beryllium fearful of demotion, but they are definite to extremity the run with considerably less points than the 60 they totalled successful 2024-25.

Head coach Noureddine Zekri's broadside person lone won 1 of their past six games successful each competitions, and they person drawn 4 and mislaid 1 of their 4 astir caller league fixtures.

The White Lions scored 5 times successful those league matches, but they besides conceded 10 goals, and they person kept conscionable 1 cleanable expanse successful 11 top-flight games.

Al Shabab person suffered 2 defeats successful their past 4 league clashes astatine home, with the squad lone experiencing 1 triumph at SHG Arena successful that time.

Ronaldo jointed Al-Nassr from Manchester United successful January 2023, but the nine finished 2nd successful 2022-23, 2nd successful 2023-24 and 3rd successful 2024-25.

The visitors cannot triumph the rubric this weekend, but it is imperative that they support their pb over Al Hilal fixed they volition big them connected May 12 successful what volition apt beryllium the decisive time successful the contention for archetypal place.

When Al-Alami faced Al Shabab successful the reverse fixture successful January, they managed to look arsenic 3-2 victors, and that was their seventh triumph successful 10 meetings with their opponents.

Boss Jorge Jesus oversaw a 3-1 nonaccomplishment connected Sunday against Al Qadsiah, with the effect the archetypal clip the nine failed to triumph successful 17 top-flight outings.

Al-Nassr scored astatine slightest 2 goals successful 12 of those matches, and they person besides netted astatine slightest 2 goals successful 7 of their past 9 distant contests successful the league, a play successful which they claimed 3 points connected 8 occasions.

Al Shabab Saudi Pro League form:

Al Shabab signifier (all competitions):

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Al Shabab's onslaught is apt to beryllium spearheaded by Yannick Carrasco and Abderrazak Hamdallah, and they volition request assistance from wide players Ali Al-Azaizeh and Josh Brownhill.

Ali Al Asmari and Yacine Adli could beryllium utilized successful a treble pivot up of cardinal defenders Ali Al-Bulayhi and Mohammed Al Shwirekh.

Ronaldo is definite to pb the enactment connected Thursday for Al Nassr, but if helium is to marque a important impact, helium volition request enactment from the likes of Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman, though Mane is simply a flimsy doubt.

In the mediate of the pitch, Marcelo Brozovic tin beryllium pencilled into the starting lineup, and helium is apt to beryllium stationed adjacent to Abdullah Al-Khaibari.

Centre-back Mohamed Simakan is acceptable to beryllium fixed a 27th league start, and helium volition beryllium asked to marshal the backline adjacent to partner Abdulelah Al Amri.

Al Shabab imaginable starting lineup:

Grohe; Al-Thani, Al Shwirekh, Al-Bulayhi, Balobaid; Al-Azaizeh, Al Asmari, Adli, Brownhill; Hamdallah, Carrasco

Al-Nassr imaginable starting lineup:

Bento; Martinez, Alamri, Simakan, Boushal; Brozovic, Al-Khaibari; Mane, Felix, Coman; Ronaldo

We say: Al Shabab 1-2 Al-Nassr

The erratic signifier of the hosts makes it hard to backmost thing different than an distant victory, adjacent contempt the information Al Nassr mislaid past clip out.

However, the unit of the rubric contention entering its last weeks could marque the lucifer tense, and it would not beryllium astonishing if the visitors experienced important difficulties.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.