When Legends Collide in Jeddah: Al-Ahli vs Al-Nassr in Roshn Saudi League
2 January 2026
Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr kick off a fiery start to the 13th round of the Roshn Saudi Pro League, as the two sides meet in Jeddah on Friday evening.
Both teams carry the vow to win this highly anticipated clash, with Al-Ahli hoping to keep closing in on the top spots, while the league leaders Al-Nassr seek to stay at the summit and atone for the setback against Al-Ettifaq and the draw in the last round.
Each coach has cards to help him achieve his aim; in Al-Nassr, Portuguese Jorge Jesus relies on key players to give him the edge, while German Matthias Jaissle for Al-Ahli bets on a setup that could tilt the balance.
Here is the expected lineup for both sides before tonight's Clasico.
Al-Ahli
Goalkeeper: Abdulrahman Al-Saibi
Defense: Zakaria Hawsawi – Mohammed Suleiman – Merih Demiral – Ali Majrashi
Midfield: Enzo Mio – Valentin Atangana – Matheus Gonçalves
Attack: Galeno – Ivan Toni – Firas Al-Breikan
Al-Nassr
Goalkeeper: Nawaf Al-Aqidi
Defense: Sultan Al-Ghannam – Inigo Martinez – Abdulilah Al-Omari – Nawaf Boshl
Midfield: Marcelo Brozovic – Angelo – Wesley
Attack: Joao Felix – Kingsley Coman – Cristiano Ronaldo
The match is scheduled for Friday in Jeddah, and both coaches bring strong squads. The game could influence the league standings and preview the title race as the season unfolds. Jorge Jesus and Matthias Jaissle rely on specific players to give them the edge, and tactics will decide the winner.
Punchline: If football were a math problem, this clash would have more variables than my calculator can handle.
Punchline 2: And if my jokes were as sharp as a striker's finish, you'd hear the stadium roar before the final whistle.