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RIYADH: Damac’s Georges-Kevin Nkoudou took part in a training session on Wednesday ahead of the team’s away game against Riyadh on Thursday.
The forward is expected to travel to the capital but it remains to be seen if manager Cosmin Contra gives him a start.
Nkoudou has scored 14 goals this season but suffered a muscle injury during Damac’s 3-0 victory over Al-Tai last week.
LONDON: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation presented its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup at an Asian Football Confederation conference in Seoul on Friday.
The event, for member associations and regional associations’ presidents and general secretaries, saw Saudi Arabia highlight its position as a potential World Cup host, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
SAFF’s President Yasser Al-Misehal spoke of international backing for Saudi Arabia’s proposal, noting the “unprecedented historical support from over 170 federations.”
Al-Misehal added that the endorsement emphasized the confidence the global community had in the Kingdom’s capabilities to host the World Cup, a venture he described as “a dream come true” for Saudi football enthusiasts who had passionately supported the sport for years.
The event also featured SAFF’s Secretary-General Ibrahim Al-Qasim, who offered a presentation to football experts and pioneers which stressed Saudi Arabia’s capacity to host the World Cup.
Under the proposed new format, Saudi Arabia would be the sole country to organize the 2034 tournament, underscoring its infrastructural capabilities and commitment to delivering a world-class sporting experience, he said.
The AFC conference, which began on Wednesday, was attended by FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino, AFC’s President Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, and national and regional federation leaders.
The decision on the hosts for the 2034 World Cup will be announced at FIFA’s Extraordinary General Assembly on Dec. 11.
Al-Misehal expressed optimism about Saudi Arabia’s prospects, adding that football fans across Asia and beyond were eagerly awaiting FIFA’s decision.
RIYADH: Netflix will launch its latest sports doc series, “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” on Nov. 21, the streaming platform revealed in a short teaser.
The docuseries will take football fans behind the scenes of a league with the ambition to become one of the top leagues in the world.
The six-episode series, produced by Whisper, delves into the journey of five Saudi football clubs, Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli and Al Etiffaq, as they compete to be crowned Saudi Pro League champions.
Well-known international players such as Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Neymar (Al-Hilal), Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) and Ettifaq coach Steven Gerrard, as well as great Saudi players such as Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal), Feras Al-Buraikan (Al-Ahli), Talal Haji (Al-Ittihad), and Abdulrahman Ghareeb (Al-Nassr), all make appearances, describing their journeys, challenges, failures and triumphs throughout the 2023-2024 season.
Beyond the pitch, fans will witness the Saudi Pro League’s vision of transformation unfold, as international legends join the league and make a profound impact on the clubs, the competition and the Saudi football stars.
Featuring exclusive interviews from some of the world’s best players, managers and commentators, along with in-depth stories and highlights from the campaign, the series will offer fans backstage access to the developments shaping the future of the Saudi Pro League.
JEDDAH: Brazilian star Fabinho has revealed that the Al-Ittihad players are going to become Al-Nassr fans, but just for the Roshn Saudi Pro League Capital Derby against champions and current leaders Al-Hilal on Friday.
On Thursday night Al-Ittihad defeated Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli 1-0 as a part of the SPL’s Derby Week.
The win in the Sea Derby ensures Al-Ittihad is equal on points with Al-Hilal at the top of the SPL table but behind the Riyadh club on goal difference, having played an extra match.
Having dropped only three points all season — in a defeat to Al-Hilal — Al-Ittihad, title holders in 2022-2023, have emerged as the reigning champions’ biggest challengers for the league trophy this season.
With that in mind, the former Liverpool midfielder wants both Jeddah and Riyadh to be all yellow this weekend.
“At the moment we are fighting against Al-Hilal at the top of the league, so first we have to do our job,” he told Arab News before the clash in Jeddah.
“And of course we’ll support Al-Nassr this weekend. If they get a good result, it will be good for us, but as I said before we have to care about us first.”
As well as the Sea Derby and Capital Derby, the SPL also hosts Al-Ettifaq versus Al-Qadsiah in the Eastern Derby on Saturday.
All the matchweek nine clashes are a part of the innovative new Derby Week in the league this season.
JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad midfielder Fabinho has admitted “it’s not nice” playing against compatriot, ex-Liverpool teammate and good friend Roberto Firmino, but will be doing everything to beat him and Al-Ahli in the Roshn Saudi League on Thursday.
Both Brazilian stars moved to their respective Jeddah clubs in the summer of 2023 after enjoying years of success at Liverpool, including winning the Champions League and Premier League.
But they will be on opposite sides for the Sea Derby, with Fabinho confessing that he even had to apologize to his good friend Firmino after an overzealous tackle in a corresponding fixture last season.
Al-Ittihad go into the derby in second place, with their local rival 11th in the Roshn Saudi League table.
The Jeddah derby, which kicks off at 9 p.m. local time at King Abdullah Sports City, is a part of the Roshn Saudi League’s innovative Derby Week, which is taking place in matchweek nine of the 2024-2025 season.
The new Derby Week addition to the Saudi Arabian topflight features Christiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr versus champions Al-Hilal, with Neymar at No. 10, at Al-Awwal Park. The mouthwatering Capital Derby matchup is on Friday.
The Eastern Derby between Al-Ettifaq, managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, and Al-Qadsiah, who welcomed Real Madrid hero Nacho into their ranks in summer, is on Saturday.
Here are some of Fabinho’s views on the big game and the SPL season:
On the derby
“For us it is a really important game, the team is in a really good moment. We are second in the league just behind Al-Hilal and we want to be at the top, so we have to win this game.
“This will be my third derby, the first two were not very good for us. We lost both of them, so it is an opportunity to give a nice result to our fans. The fans they are asking for us to give everything to win this game.”
Al-Ittihad’s form this season
“I think the players that arrived (in the transfer window) are playing really well. Moussa Diaby, Houssem Aouar, all the players who arrived have really integrated into the team and adapted to the team and the way we play.
“I think some key players are finding their best football again, so this is very important for us. The new coach and his staff arrived as well, and we know the ideas they have and how they want to play football.
“What everybody expects from us is to fight for the league, it’s not a big surprise. We have to do everything to reach the top.”
On facing Firmino
“It is not nice. Bobby is one of my good friends that I have made in football, he is a very good player, so I never like to play against him. Last season when we played against them, I made a hard tackle on him and after the game he sent me a photo of his ankle. I said: ‘Sorry, Bobby.’
“After the game we can talk but, in the game, I will fight for my side and my team. It’s nice to be in the same city as him, to see him off the pitch often. Our families also are in contact, and he is a very good friend, but on the pitch and in the derby, I am with Al-Ittihad and he is with Al-Ahli.”
On living in Jeddah
“My good friend Helder Costa played here for one season, so I talked to him, because I wanted my family to be comfortable in the city. Coming to Jeddah it was a very good surprise to see how nice the city is.
“We have adapted to the city, and we love to live in Jeddah. We’re very happy to be here.”
JEDDAH: Al-Ahli forward Ivan Toney is hoping to score more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo this season — starting by netting in a Derby Week victory over Jeddah rivals Al-Ittihad in the Roshn Saudi League on Thursday.
The England goalscorer, who joined Al-Ahli from Brentford in the summer, has netted three times in six Roshn Saudi League matches. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has six goals from seven Roshn Saudi League games for Al-Nassr this season.
Toney hopes to improve that tally in the Sea Derby, which kicks off at 9 p.m. local time on Thursday as Al-Ahli travel to face their city rivals Al-Ittihad at King Abdullah Sports City. The big game is part of Roshn Saudi League’s innovative Derby Week, which is taking place in Matchweek 9 of the 2024/25 season.
The new Derby Week addition to the Saudi Arabian topflight also features Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr versus champions Al-Hilal, with Neymar at No. 10, at Al-Awwal Park in the Capital Derby on Friday. The Eastern Derby between Al-Ettifaq, managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, and Al-Qadsiah, who welcomed Real Madrid hero Nacho into their ranks in summer, is on Saturday.
Here are some of Toney’s views on a big few days ahead.
On the derby
“We know it’s going to be big. On a personal level, it is going to be my first one. I’m excited. I know derbies from my previous clubs, but I’m sure it’s nothing like being here, how much it means to everyone, and hopefully we can win.
“I think it’ll be similar (to other derbies), you know, there’ll be tackles flying in, but the fact is we’re fighting for what color we make Jeddah. Obviously, it’s special to everyone and special to the fans; obviously with them being so close, we want to make Jeddah green.”
On facing top Al-Ittihad talent
“You’ve got to do the work. It’s all well and good coming up against these players, but we’re not here to idolize these players, we’re here to beat them, and hopefully we can do that.”
Roshn Saudi League ambitions
“Obviously, we have to aim to win the league. If I was saying, ‘We’ll just try and get top three,’ what’s the point in playing the games? We want to win the league, end of story.”
Goalscoring
“I always set targets for myself and hopefully I can hit them. (Media) ask me what my target is, but it doesn’t come out. It only comes out when I’ve hit it come the end of the season! Hopefully I can keep playing well, score goals and help the team to win games.”
On scoring more or less than Cristiano Ronaldo
“Hopefully more! To be fair, I’m competing with myself really, I don’t watch what other people are doing. Obviously, Ronaldo is a top player, but I concentrate on myself and what I do best.”
