Derby Revival: Ittihad Reclaims Key Stars as Saudi Clasico Heats Up
19 February 2026
Teaser: A strong boost for the Tigers before the Leaders showdown.
Stars Return Ahead of the Derby
Al-Ittihad Jeddah regained its two stars ahead of the highly anticipated Clasico against arch-rivals Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
The teams will meet at Kingdom Arena on Saturday for the 23rd round.
Saudi journalist Walid Saeed reported on X that French winger Mousa Diaby and Hassan Kadash trained with the squad, signaling they may feature in the clash.
That development should settle doubts over their availability after injuries had sparked concern in the run-up to kick-off.
Diaby had been kept out of the last game, against Qatar's Al-Sadd, in the eighth and final round of the Elite stage of the AFC Champions League, which the Tigers won 4-1.
Diaby has appeared 29 times this season across all competitions, contributing 16 involvements: 3 goals and 13 assists.
Kadsh, by contrast, has played 20 matches, recording one goal and one assist.
The teams will hope that both players are fit to boost the team's chances against the leaders.
Punchline 1: If football were a battlefield, this derby would come with a ceasefire and popcorn.
Punchline 2: If they score again, we might need a new dictionary for celebrations—sniper-level accuracy, minus the scope.
