Saudi Super Cup Opening Match Between Champions Al-Hilal And Al-Ahli.

LONDON: Saudi Arabian football fans will resume focussing on home affairs on Tuesday following a hectic summer of international competition.

The Saudi Super Cup

The players will also be participating in the Saudi Super Cup, which opens the league season and offers the top four teams from the previous season an early opportunity to win some hardware. A few of the players participated in the European Championships, but on Monday they were finishing up their preparations for the competition. Tuesday’s matchup between Al-Hilal, the Pro League Champions and holders of the Super Cup, and Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr, and Al-Taawoun is scheduled. The championship match will take place on Saturday, just five days prior to the start of the regular season.

With a 4-1 victory over Al-Ittihad in the championship match in 2023, Al-Hilal took home the trophy and hinted at a successful league campaign. The blue corner of Riyadh has not seen many changes since then; whereas the previous year they were busy well into the transfer window, this year it may be a case of “if it is not broken, do not fix it.”

Saudi internationals Salman Al-Faraj, Saleh Al-Shehri, and Abdullah Al-Malki have been among the players who have left the majority of the movement so far this summer. With victories over Italian teams Udinese and Como as well as Al-Arabi of Qatar, the preseason games in Austria went smoothly.

Brazilian Superstar Still Rehabilitating

As is customary in Saudi Arabia and Asia, Al-Hilal is once again the side to beat. In the upcoming months, manager Jorge Jesus and his players will be especially looking on Salem Al-Dawsari and Aleksandar Mitrovic for motivation.

Since the Brazilian superstar is still rehabilitating from a cruciate ligament injury he sustained in October, Neymar’s appearance in the Al-Hilal starting lineup for the Super Cup comes a bit too soon. There are rumors that he could return next month, and there are also positive reports regarding injuries; his countryman Malcom, a winger who was a standout in the league in his rookie campaign, appears to be healthy.

There were rumors that two more Brazilians, Michael, a forward, and Renan Lodi, a left-back who hasn’t impressed since joining from Marseille in January, would be leaving, but they might receive an opportunity in the Super Cup to prove to the coach that they still had something to offer.

Allen Saint-Maximin Left On Loan

Al-Ahli’s opponents have comparable circumstances. Allen Saint-Maximin left on loan to Fenerbahce in Turkey, and they haven’t made any significant additions as of yet. The Jeddah giants, who had just returned to the top flight from the second division, earned a very good third-place finish under head coach Matthias Jaissle’s direction during his successful first season in command.

Tuesday will provide an early indication of whether or if that can serve as a framework for a legitimate title campaign this season, as fans will be hoping. The arrival of Roberto Firmino from Liverpool may prove to be pivotal; the Brazilian has shown promise in the preseason despite his past inconsistency.

Much attention will be paid to Cristiano Ronaldo in the other semi-final, as usual. The 39-year-old is eager to win his first domestic championship in Saudi Arabia after joining Al-Nassr in December 2022 after returning from the Euros. Although it would ease some of the burdens early in the season, neither the player nor the team that placed second in the league the previous year would prioritize winning the Super Cup.

Supporters and commentators have criticized coach Luis Castro on social media. The Portuguese manager revealed that several new players arrived late and admitted that the preseason had been subpar.