Preview of Saudi Pro League: PioLI’s Riyadh Victory on a Winning Streak, Al Khaleej Struggles Defensively

On October 25 at 23:05, in the 8th round of the Saudi Pro League, Al Khaleej will face Riyadh Victory at a neutral venue (King Fahd Stadium in Buraidah).

Riyadh Victory had a rocky start to the season, losing the Saudi Super Cup to Al Hilal and failing to win in three of their first five league matches. They also drew their opening match in the AFC Champions League. On September 18, the club made a managerial change, bringing in former AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli. Under Pioli, Riyadh Victory has achieved an impressive seven consecutive wins, defeating Dammam Club, Al Hassania, Al Ittihad, Al Rayyan, Al Wehda, Al Nassr, and Esteghlal. In these seven matches, they have scored 15 goals and conceded only 3, demonstrating a formidable form.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been in good form this season, scoring 6 goals and providing 2 assists in 7 Saudi league matches, and 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 other matches including the AFC Champions League and the Saudi Super Cup. However, Ronaldo currently ranks third on the goal-scoring chart with 6 goals, behind Mitrovic’s 9 and Benzema’s 8. The Portuguese superstar is eager to extend his streak of scoring in the last four league matches.

Promoted team Al Khaleej may not be well-known, but it has several players from the top European leagues, such as former Torino defender Gianluca Gamberini, former Monaco and Metz star Abdallah Ndoram, and the team’s top scorer, former Betis player Rubén Castro, who has been in excellent form. Castro and Ronaldo are both featured as the “cover stars” for this match by the official sources.

Despite its limited resources, Al Khaleej has managed only 5 points in 7 matches and has lost 3 of their last 4 games, drawing one. The team has conceded 13 goals in 7 matches, indicating defensive vulnerabilities, but their 8 goals scored should not be overlooked.

In terms of head-to-head records, the two teams have never met in an official match. However, Al Khaleej’s manager, Algerian Zekri, has faced Riyadh Victory 7 times with other teams, recording 2 draws and 5 losses. In the most recent three encounters, the results were 1-1, 2-2, and 2-3.

Regarding squad availability, Riyadh Victory’s new defensive star Sinalinga, signed for €35 million, is suspended for this match, and attacking midfielder Al Najem will continue to miss out due to a cruciate ligament injury. For Al Khaleej, former Mallorca and Braga forward Aleksandar Stoiljkovic, who has played 4 times for the Serbian national team, is not registered and will not be available for selection.

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