RIYADH: This may be the second FIFA International break of the 2024-25 Roshun Saudi League season, but the first one happened soon after the new season started, so here’s a look back at the opening game. It feels like the first true hiatus.
Here’s what we learned from the first six games:
Al-Hilal machine begins to move
It is often said that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
After a remarkable undefeated season in 2023-24, reigning champions Al Hilal entered this season with big goals on their shoulders. The hope is that this ruthless car will somehow slow down after its efforts last season.
However, that notion has been completely dispelled after just six games, with Jorge Jesus’ side being the only club to have achieved a perfect 100 percent record so far. There is a good chance that Al Hilal has incredible resilience and belief, perhaps something the RSL has never seen before.
It’s not completely impossible to break through. The Riyadh side have conceded six goals so far, more than Al Nasr, Al Shabab, Al Qadosia and Al Tawun, and have kept a clean sheet in just two games. But whether they score first or fall behind, they clearly have unwavering faith that they will come back – as seen in their 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Damac in Match Week 2. I want it.
The season is still long, but all eyes are already on whether Al Hilal, who are unbeaten in 42 RSL matches, can achieve the seemingly impossible feat of a second consecutive unbeaten season.
Former champion returns to form
One of the biggest storylines from the opening six games is the resurgence of 2022-23 RSL champions Al Ittihad.
This was a title defense to forget for Jeddah Giants, who finished fifth in the previous tournament and fell far short of the league title race. After an offseason of soul-searching and significant investment, World Cup winner Laurent Blanc was brought in to replace Marcelo Gallardo as manager.
To celebrate the arrival of a new era, Al Ittihad has made a major change to its team. The club has acquired younger, more dynamic players in Moussa Diaby, Houssem Aouar, Steven Bergwijn and Mario Mitaj.
But most importantly, captain and talisman Karim Benzema has returned to form. After a mixed debut season in RSL (9 goals in 21 appearances), the indomitable Frenchman has now found the net seven times in six top-flight games this season. This means that Benzema is second only to Aleksandar Mitrovic (nine goals) in the goalscoring rankings and has already almost equaled his goalscoring score for the 2023/24 season.
Elsewhere, the resurgence of al-Ittihad also applies to al-Shabab. Last time, they had an unforgettable season, and although they were mired in a relegation battle for a time, they achieved good results and returned home in 8th place. That resurgence came after the arrival of Vitor Pereira in February. It is clear that retaining the Portuguese coach is a very important business.
Significant transfers from last season include RSL legend Abdelazak Hamdallah, Serie A stalwart Giacomo Bonaventura, Dutch defender Wesley Foote and enterprising Portuguese winger Daniel Podence, among others. The new players are also playing their roles.
Al-Shabaab, who will be on a two-week break, have won four of their six league matches, and the 2011-12 RSL champions occupy fourth place. As a result, they are only 3 points behind second place.
Mixed bag of league rookies
Much has been said during pre-season about this being Al Khoroud’s first campaign in RSL, but this is a sign of enthusiasm for the big time for the team from Al Ras so far. A very warm welcome.
Despite strong reinforcements to prepare them for this challenge, coach Paulo Duarte’s side have struggled to make a mark, and despite losing their opening game to Al Ittihad, They earned a lone win and four points in six games. , a match that I was hopelessly unlucky to lose.
However, Al Khorod fell into the relegation zone after suffering come-from-behind defeats to Al Hilal and Al Khaleej in the past two match weeks. Of course, they will be hoping to move out of the bottom three once the league restarts.
In contrast, fellow new players Al Qadsiah and Al Oroba have performed better and the former was probably always expected to make a big investment in the summer transfer window. Players like Nacho, the recent captain of Real Madrid, have also been added. Former Arsenal, Barcelona and Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Belgian national goalkeeper Koen Casteels. Up-and-coming Uruguayan midfielder Nahitan Nández and champion Mexican forward Julian Quinones.
There was also coveted Argentine midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez and versatile Uruguayan defender Gaston Alvarez, as well as a number of talented Saudis led by national team defender Qassem Rajami.
That ambition saw Al Qadisia win consecutive games in the opening two match weeks, and although things have been a little inconsistent since then, they still sit in sixth place with three wins, two losses and one draw. Crucially, Aubameyang was off the mark in the RSL and there is promise of more from the decorated striker.
Meanwhile, newly promoted Al Oroba are mid-table in the table with seven points from six games. This is a decent return for Alvaro Pacheco’s team.
Great Mitrovic pays attention to Ronaldo’s record
When Cristiano Ronaldo broke the record for most goals scored in a single season (35 goals) last season, few could have predicted that it would soon be under threat.
But Al Hilal’s Serbian superstar Aleksandar Mitrovic has other ideas. The frontman, who finished second behind Ronaldo (28 goals) in the race for the Golden Boot in 2023-24, has started the season with a bang, scoring nine goals in six games. If one of the goals against Al Riyadh had been officially recognized as an own goal by the refereeing department of the Saudi Football Federation, 10 goals might have been enough.
Still, one would imagine that a goal of 1.5 goals per game would be nearly impossible to maintain for an entire season. But with Al Hilal showing no signs of slowing down and scoring three goals per game, Mitrovic will have more than ample chance of chasing Ronaldo’s record.
Remember, his total RSL total is a whopping 37 goals in 34 appearances. Amazing.
Al Ahly have work to do as they aim for the title
The three-time Saudi Arabian champions had a quiet run last season, largely missing out on the title battle between Al Hilal and Al Nasr, but they are far ahead of the other teams and are under serious threat for third place. It was never exposed.
Matthias Jaisl’s side, which currently features England international Ivan Toney, have ambitions of at least matching the 2023-24 glory they achieved in their first season back in the top flight, even if it doesn’t work out. He would have entered the title fight with this in mind. However, after the opening six matches, the Jeddah club appear to have fallen a bit far from the team that performed so well last season. With three losses so far, they are already 11 points off the pace.
The win at home against Al Hilal was just a tonic before the international break, but although Spanish talent Gabri Veiga put them in the lead against the defending champions, Mitrovic’s double in the second half meant The away team departed with all three points.
Jaisul still has many questions to ponder over the international break, especially for Al Ahly, who are ranked 10th. However, the team includes players such as Veiga, Franck Kessie, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Feras Al Buraican and Toni, so there is no shortage of star power to get the club back on its feet and run the club. do not have.
Ronaldo, Mane and Pioli lead Al Nasr’s resurgence
Al Nasr have decided that their start to the season has been unsatisfactory, with one win and three draws in four games in all competitions, according to their own incredibly high standards, and that a change of manager is therefore necessary. With three matches in the RSL matchweek, Luis Castro was absent and Stefano Pioli came on.
The Italian, who led AC Milan to their first Serie A title in over a decade in the 2021-22 season, proved to be an inspired appointment as Al Nasr won five games on the bounce. Ta. Three of them are players in the Saudi top flight, scoring eight goals and keeping a clean sheet.
As always, Ronaldo was the key, with the Portuguese superstar scoring five goals in six RSL appearances this season. The club’s captaincy is ably supported by Sadio Mane, who has been a reborn player this term after a modest debut campaign with the Kingdom. The Senegalese international is fresh off a goal in Round 6 with two goals against Al Oroba, but he has also provided five assists, which ranks second behind Al Ittihad’s Diaby.
With Pioli in place and Ronaldo and Mane sacked, Al Nasr moved up to third place in the table. The resumption of the RSL on October 18th bodes well. Will this finally be the year of the capital club?