Preview: Al-Nassr vs. Al Quadisiya – prediction, team news, lineups

Al-Nasr will look to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League this week when they welcome Al Quadisiya to Al-Awwal Park on Friday.

Both sides won their last top-flight matches and are aiming to extend their respective streaks, with the visitors looking to win a fourth straight league game.

Match preview

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Al-Nassr are hoping to dethrone rivals Al-Hilal as the Saudi Pro League champions and while they are yet to lose a game this campaign, they are already six points behind their rivals in the title after 10 games.

Al-Alami followed their 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal with a 5-1 thrashing of Al Ain in the AFC Champions League, before Sadio Mane‘s goal in the 41st minute helped secure a 1-0 win over Al Riyadh just before the international break.

Stefano Pioli has a record of five wins and two draws in his first seven games since arriving in mid-September, but while his side are still unbeaten this season, they are in third place with 22 points, five points behind second-place Al- Ittihad.

The Knights of Najd will now face Al-Qadisiyah and Damac in back-to-back home games hoping to close the gap at the top, although they have a trip to Al-Gharafa in the AFC Champions League sandwiched between both games.

Al-Nassr have dominated their home games against Friday’s opposition, currently on a four-match home winning streak when playing host, losing just one while winning 10 of 14 such matches.

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Al-Qadisiyah earned promotion to the top flight at the end of last season, ending a three-year absence from the Saudi Pro League.

Knight of the East have made a good start to their return to the top division, picking up six wins from their first 10 games and seem to have sorted out their stop-start motion in recent weeks.

Michaels side won three of their opening seven games with three defeats and a draw between those wins, but they have now won their last three league games in a row, the latest of which was a 2-0 win over Al Fayha before the break.

That consistency has helped the visitors move up to fifth in the table with 19 points, three behind Friday’s hosts Al-Nassr and two behind fourth-placed Al-Shabab.

The team based in the eastern city of Khobar will be hoping to close that gap with a win on Friday, but they have not been great away from home, with two wins leading to a draw and two defeats away from home.

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr form (all competitions):

Al Quadisiya Saudi Pro League form:

Team news

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Al-Nassr also have only one player sidelined due to injury in the form of Sami Al-Najeiwho is ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing cruciate ligament surgery.

Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score from open play in his last seven league games, with each of his three goals in that time coming from the penalty spot, a run he hopes to end when leading the line in this clash.

Talisca has been the main man for the hosts in recent weeks and, after matching Ronaldo’s six league goals, will be hoping to get back on the scoresheet when he starts in the attacking quartet alongside Mane, Ronaldo and Abdulrahman Ghareeb.

The visitors will go into the game without a left wing Saif Rajabwho tore a muscle fiber in the adductor area, and Ibrahim Mohannashi, who has fitness issues.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on the scoresheet taking his league tally to four and matching strike partner Julian Quinonerboth expected to start as the front two again on Friday.

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:
Bento; Al Ghanam, Simakan, Alawjami, Boushal; Brozovic, Otavio; Ghareeb, Talisca, Mane; Ronaldo

Al Quadisiya possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Thakri, Nacho, Alvarez; Shamat, Nandez, Fernandez, Al-Ammar; Puertos; Aubameyang, Quinones

We say: Al-Nassr 2-1 Al Quadisiya

While Al-Qadisiyah have been very impressive this season, Al-Nassr have more quality in their squad and have shown they can get over the line in most games this season, which is why we feel the visitors will win this encounter.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match, please click here.

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