Al-Nassr can extend their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season to eight matches when the title hopefuls visit top-flight newcomers NEOM on Saturday.
Jorge Jesus will be hoping his players win in a less stressful manner than their last league outing, securing a 2-1 home victory over Al-Fayha thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 104th-minute penalty for the five-time Champions League winner’s second goal.
A more comfortable home victory followed against Goa in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, winning 4-0 to remain perfect after four matches in this season’s competition.
Striker Mohammed Maran and Saudi Pro League top scorer Joao Felix came off the bench to score after Abdulrahman Ghareeb scored twice in one match for the first time in the winger’s career.
Promoted to champions for a second consecutive season in 2024/25, NEOM have made a promising start under former Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Gaultier, who took over in July.
A 3-2 victory at Al-Kholood on October 30 was the Tabuk-based club’s fourth victory this season, placing them seventh at the start of the weekend.
We continue our training 🔝
With all determination and determination 👏🏻
#Neom_Sports_Club pic.twitter.com/vKsJC9kW5h– NEOM Sports Club (@NEOMSSportsClub) November 5, 2025
Galtier’s new players include former Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucouré and former Lyon, West Ham and Brentford player Said Benrahma.
Lyon legend Alexandre Lacazette, who was Arsenal’s player of the season in 2018/19, has contributed five goals and three assists in eight appearances in all competitions since ending his second spell at the Ligue 1 club to join NEOM.
The 34-year-old former French striker has directly contributed to six goals in his last five games.
NEOM vs Al Nassr Team News
Goalkeeper Marcin Bulka and midfielder Salman Al-Faraj are out for NEOM due to long-term knee injuries.
Centre-back Ahmed Hegazy could return from a hamstring problem, while Benrahma will aim for more goals after the Algeria international scored his first two goals of the season against Al-Kholood.
Al-Nassr are likely to have changed a lot after resting many players against Goa, with 20-year-old Brazilian striker Wesley the only foreign player in their starting line-up on this occasion.
Ronaldo was fully rested and expected to return alongside defender Inigo Martinez, midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, winger Kingsley Coman and attackers Joao Felix and Sadio Mane, but central defender Mohamed Simakan is doubtful over his injury.
Expected lineups of NEOM vs. Al Nassr
NEOM: Luis Maximiano, Abdulmalik Al Oyayari, Khalifah Al Dawsari, Nathan Zeze, Fares Abdi, Amadou Kone, Abbas Al Hassan, Simon Bouabre, Said Benrahma, Luciano Rodriguez, Alexandre Lacazette
Al-Nassr: Raghad Al Najarar, Auhiya, Ingotage Martinez, Abddlela Al-Amri, Nawiso Boshi, Marcelo Brozovic, Global Florida, Srifica, Sero, Syrino, Syrino, Srifica Road, Afghanistan.
How to watch NEOM vs. Al Nassr
The match kicks off at 1:50 p.m. GMT on Saturday (08:50 a.m. ET / 05:50 a.m. PT). In the UK, the leading Saudi streaming channel is the Saudi Pro League YouTube channel.
In the United States, FOX Sports is the live broadcaster of the Saudi Pro League.
NEOM vs Al Nassr Stats
- Only Al-Hazem (22), Al-Okhdood (21) and Al-Khaleej (20) have more yellow cards in the Saudi Pro League this season than NEOM (20).
- NEOM has scored in each of its last seven matches
- Joao Felix, Ronaldo and Coman are three of five players to beat Lacazette’s tally of seven league goals and assists this season, alongside Al-Khaleej’s Kostas Fortounis and Josh King.
- Lacazette went two matches without scoring for the first time this season, although he had a goal in each of those matches.
- NEOM have not kept a clean sheet in four matches, conceding eight times along the way
- Joao Felix and King (9) are the only players to have scored more goals than Ronaldo (8) in the division this season.
- Al-Nassr have won 13 matches and lost two of their matches in all competitions this season
- Ronaldo has seven goals and one assist in his last five league matches, scoring in all of them.
- Joao Felix has a total of 13 goals and two assists in 15 matches in all competitions in 2025/26
- The Portugal international, who has two league hat-tricks, aims to avoid missing a goal in successive league matches for the first time since joining Al-Nassr in July.
NEOM vs Al Nassr Prediction
Al-Nassr would have had a victory in their last three matches in all competitions if it weren’t for Ronaldo’s late kick against Al-Fayha, but it would be a considerable surprise if NEOM, who have lost their last two home games, achieve a positive result.
The visitors have conceded in three of their last four domestic matches, so a 3-1 victory for Al-Nassr looks feasible.
