Why Ronaldo’s first heavyweight clash in Roshn Saudi League between Al Ittihad and Al Nassr is simply unmissable
Cristiano Ronaldo has played most of the biggest football games imaginable, but after joining Al Nassr in December, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star will get his first taste of a top-of-the-table clash in Roshn Saudi League on Thursday.
The leaders travel to Jeddah to take on second-placed Al-Ittihad and, as only two points separate the top two, there is plenty at stake.
The presence of the five-time Ballon dโOr winner makes every game big, but this clash is already huge. The 38-year-old will relish the atmosphere in Al Ittihadโs inspiring King Abdullah Sports City.
If the Portugal superstar, who has scored eight goals in the last five games, can inspire Al Nassr to a fifth-consecutive league victory, then Rudi Garciaโs men will be five-points clear at the 20-game mark of the season with 10 left to play.
The game has become even-more important as the two other title challengers have slipped up, of late. Al Shababโs shock defeat at home to relegation-battling Al Adalah last week has left the Riyadh club six points behind Al Nassr.
Defending champions Al Hilal have returned from their heroics at the FIFA Club World Cup, when they got to the final and lost 5-3 to Real Madrid, and the AFC Champions League when they booked a place in the final with a sensational 7-0 win against Al Duhail of Qatar.
In the two games since, the 18-time title-winners have drawn 3-3 with Al Wehda and lost 2-1 to Al Fateh. They are 13 points off the pace, but even with two games in hand, the gap is looking very big indeed.
For Al Ittihad and Al Nassr, victory would make a huge statement and it is too close to call. The hosts, who narrowly lost out to Al Hilal last season, have collected 19 points from the last seven games.
Amazingly, the Tigers have conceded just one goal in that run.
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has made the team difficult to beat, but there are also plenty of exciting stars. Brazil goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe has been almost unbeatable and defenders Ahmed Hegazi and Omar Hawsawi imperious.
There is more to this team than an almost-unbreachable defence, however.
In attack, Abderrazak Hamdallah has been doing what he always does โscoring goals. The Morocco centre forward now has 12 for the season and in the hunt to win the leagueโs golden boot for a third time.
Romarinho has been playing a fine supporting role and his Brazilian colleague Igor Coronado has been pulling the strings in a creative sense.
Al Nassr have stars of their own, though 2018 South American Player of the Year Pity Martinez is out and leading goal scorer Talisca is also struggling with injury.
Ronaldo has enough star power all of his own, but Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Luiz Gustavo have also stepped up.
We may be about to find out what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object and with Ronaldo in the mix, it all makes for an unmissable 90 minutes.