Al-Nassr’s Latest Injury Blow Looms Over Al-Fateh Showdown
14 October 2025
Injury setback ahead of Al-Fateh clash
Al-Nassr faced another painful setback ahead of their Saturday clash with Al-Fateh in the fifth round of the Saudi Pro League.
Saudi daily Al-Yom reported that the friendly against Al-Diriyah on Monday saw Saad Al-Nasser re-aggravate his injury.
The report added that Al-Nasser complained about the area of his previous issue, prompting coach Jorge Jesus to substitute him and bring Awad Aman into the lineup.
Al-Nassr's setback came when the defender injured his right ankle ligaments in the September Tajik clash, prompting a return to medical rehabilitation at the club's facility.
The club announced on X that the left-back will undergo physiotherapy to be ready for matches again.
Al-Nassr signed the 24-year-old until 2028, paying around 40 million riyals in a summer deal from Al-Taawoun, according to reports.
He is viewed as the missing piece in the team's squad, with Jesus repeatedly requesting a left-back due to depth issues.
The club also brought in several notable players last summer, including Abdul Malik Al-Jaber, Nader Al-Sharari, Joao Felix, Kingsley Coman, and Inigo Martinez.
A surprising defeat followed as Al-Nassr lost 2-1 to Al-Diriyah in a friendly, ending Jesus' long unbeaten run this season.
The match was played without many regulars, including Saudi national team players involved in World Cup qualifying and foreign stars such as Coman, Ronaldo, and Joao Felix.
The side opened the domestic campaign with a 5-0 win over Al-Taawoun, then beat Al-Kholood 2-0, moved to the ACL with a 5-0 win over Istiklol Dushanbe, then won the Riyadh derby 5-1, and later beat Jeddah 4-0 in the King Cup.
Against Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Nassr secured a 2-0 win, continuing their dominance under Jesus. The club then recorded another 2-0 victory over Al-Zawraa in the ACL group stage.
The squad also moved closer to recalling Sami Al-Najai after more than a year out, with isolated ball work and a potential return to training soon.
The medical staff aim to gradually reintegrate the midfielder into training after completing his rehab program.
Sami Al-Najai suffered ACL rupture in the knee during a 1-1 draw with Al-Raed on Aug 22, 2024, underwent ACL surgery in Barcelona in September, expected to return after six months but missed about 13 months.
Joao Felix is undergoing medical tests to determine his status for the upcoming Hungary qualifier with the national team.
Al-Nassr awaits the medical results, a crucial period as the club faces numerous local and continental challenges.
The Portuguese player had recently battled a muscle injury that kept him out of Portugal's squad against Ireland; Ruben Neves scored for Portugal in that match, helping secure a World Cup berth for Europe.
In short, the team hopes to have him ready for the busy period ahead.
Punchline 1: If injuries were transfers, this guy would be loaned to the rehab club indefinitely.
Punchline 2: The medical staff has more minutes on the stopwatch than the players have on the field—welcome to bench-warming, starring the gym and a lot of waiting room humor.
