Renard Shuffles the Saudis: a Bronze-Bonanza Bid for the Arab Cup Showdown

Renard Plans Bold Lineup Shuffle for UAE Clash

French coach Hervé Renard, in charge of the Saudi national team, plans to reshuffle the Greens starting XI for the upcoming match with the United Arab Emirates, set for Thursday, as they chase third place in the Arab Cup.

Saudi outlet Al-Yom reported Renard will field several changes, with some regulars likely to start such as Abdullah Al-Omari, Musab Al-Juwair, and Morad Housaoui.

Renard's aim is to secure a win over the UAE and finish third in the tournament, answering critics who urged him to step down after the semifinal loss to Jordan.

The Greens fell 1-0 to their Jordanian rivals in the semifinal, a result that left Renard's squad hoping for a better rebound in the third-place decider at Khalifa International Stadium.

Notably, Walid Al-Ahmad is ruled out of the Saudi–UAE clash after receiving a red card against Jordan.

Punchline 1: Renard reshuffles so often the bench is filing a complaint for instability.

Punchline 2: If all else fails, at least the post-match press conference will be entertaining.