A major contest near the summit of the Roshn Saudi League takes place on Thursday evening, as Al Nassr entertain Al Qadsiah at Al Awwal Park in Matchweek 14.
A major contest near the summit of the Roshn Saudi League takes place on Thursday evening, as Al Nassr entertain Al Qadsiah at Al Awwal Park in Matchweek 14.
The fixture brings together the teams currently occupying second and fifth positions in the standings. For the hosts, the objective is a swift response after suffering their first league setback of the campaign in the previous round.
Al Nassr were edged out 3-2 by Al Ahli, a result that coincided with Al Hilal’s 2-0 success away to Damac. That combination of outcomes ended Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates’ long stay at the top, a spot they had controlled since the opening matchweek.
Recovering momentum will not be straightforward. Al Qadsiah arrive in a confident mood following the arrival of Brendan Rodgers, and history also favours the visitors, who have defeated Al Nassr in each of the last three meetings between the sides.
One of the standout narratives sees Cristiano Ronaldo come up against Nacho, with the two former Real Madrid leaders now opposing one another in Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo sits joint-first in the 2025-26 goals chart with 13 strikes, while Nacho has marshalled a back line that has conceded only 12 times, placing Al Qadsiah among the league’s strongest defensive units. Their confrontation may heavily influence the outcome.
In midfield, Marcelo Brozovic remains central to Al Nassr’s rhythm and control. The Croatian will not cross paths with Musab Al Juwayr, absent due to AFC Under-23 Asian Cup duties, which likely leaves Nahitan Nandez as his primary challenger. Known for his relentless energy, the Uruguayan is expected to relish the responsibility of tracking Brozovic’s movement while also offering drive beyond the halfway line.
Further forward, Joao Felix has made a remarkable introduction to the league. Signed from Chelsea in the summer, the Portuguese attacker opened his account with three goals on debut, added another in Matchweek 5, and now shares top billing in the scoring race. His habit of dropping into deeper areas should bring him into direct competition with Julian Weigl, whose task will be to disrupt Felix’s influence and limit his involvement.
At the back, Abdulelah Al Amri faces a demanding assignment against Julian Quinones. With Mohamed Simakan sidelined, Al Amri is expected to shoulder the responsibility of containing the in-form forward. Despite being a defender, Al Amri showed his appetite for big moments by scoring twice against Al Ahli, even if those goals came in defeat.
Quiñones, meanwhile, continues to deliver consistently in front of goal. His lightning-fast opener against Al Riyadh last weekend extended an impressive run that has seen the Mexican find the net five times across his last five league appearances.
Beyond the pitch, the managerial duel also promises intrigue. Jorge Jesus brings extensive league experience and has quickly imposed his demanding approach at Al Nassr, whose statistics underline their strength: 37 goals scored and only 10 conceded so far this season.
On the opposite bench, Brendan Rodgers is still adjusting to life in the RSL but has already overseen a shift in Al Qadsiah’s approach. Following an opening draw under his guidance, his side have claimed back-to-back victories, registering seven goals across those two outings.
