Al Riyadh are turning to their third manager of the campaign in a bid to preserve their Roshn Saudi League status. With 13 matches left, they sit in the relegation places, three points from safety, knowing there is still time — but not much margin for error.
Al Riyadh are turning to their third manager of the campaign in a bid to preserve their Roshn Saudi League status. With 13 matches left, they sit in the relegation places, three points from safety, knowing there is still time — but not much margin for error.
After the departures of Javier Calleja and Jose Daniel Carreno, the club has promoted Under-21 coach Mauricio Dulac to lead the senior side. The 46-year-old Brazilian previously served as a longtime assistant to Odair Hellmann, working with him in Brazil, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Having been part of the setup when Al Riyadh narrowly avoided relegation in 2023-24, Dulac understands the demands of a survival fight. Now stepping into a head-coach role for the first time, he has a chance to shape the team in his own way during a decisive stretch of the season.
One of Dulac’s most important tasks will be maximizing the influence of Portuguese midfielder Toze. Across his last two seasons in the league with Al Hazem and Al Riyadh, he has delivered 14 goals and 11 assists, underlining his consistency in the final third.
This term, Toze again leads the club for both goals and assists, contributing five and four, respectively. He has also attempted the most shots (43) and fashioned the highest number of big opportunities (eight) among his teammates, highlighting his central role in their attacking play.
Support has arrived through the winter transfer window. Algerian midfielder Victor Lekhal brings experience from Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 in France, while Portuguese forward Leandro Antunes needed just two matches to score his first league goal.
Young Romanian international Enes Sali and returning defender Abdulelah Al Khaibari — who previously spent more than a decade at the club — further reshape the squad. Combined with the managerial change, the additions give Al Riyadh a refreshed look for the run-in.
While improvements are needed going forward, the immediate priority lies at the back. Al Riyadh has conceded 41 goals, close to two per game, and has recorded only one clean sheet — the lowest tally in the division.
Interestingly, they rank 11th for shots faced (270), yet their Expected Goals Against figure of 38.8 is the second worst in the league. The numbers underline the challenge: conceding at such a rate makes positive results difficult to achieve.
Scoring has also been an issue, with 19 goals — joint second lowest in the competition — but tightening up defensively could provide the platform for recovery. Reducing the goals against column would significantly enhance their survival hopes.
The upcoming schedule may define their campaign. Three of the next four fixtures come away from home, where they have yet to claim a win in 10 attempts. However, those trips are against Al Kholood, Al Shabab, and Damac — the three sides directly above them in the standings.
These encounters offer a direct opportunity to close the gap while denying points to fellow strugglers. For Al Riyadh, the road ahead is daunting, but it could also provide the lifeline they urgently need.
