Get to know Roshn Saudi League’s Al Batin: The club who worked their way up to the top flight and are fighting hard to stay there
Based in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, Al Batin have spent time working their way through all tiers of the countryโs football pyramid and have now found their way to the very top โ Saudi Pro League – a status they are keen to maintain.
For fans around the world, both new and old, here is a short guide to them.
THE PLAYERS
This season Yousef Al Shammari has been the main man in attack with five goals from his first 15 games, an impressive strike rate for a team that is currently sat at the bottom of the league.
There are also a number of foreign players. Much-travelled Uruguayan forward Renzo Lopez joined in January, as did on-loan Ghanaian midfielder Salifu Mudasiru.
Former Uruguay goalkeeper Martin Campana is between the sticks, behind French and Brazilian defenders Thibault Peyre and Mauricio Antonio. Colombian winger Andres Roa was another new arrival.
THE COACH
Alen Horvat never ventured outside his native Croatia during his playing career, but the 49-year-old is now working as a coach for his fifth club in the region.
After a stint in Dubai, he made the switch to Saudi Arabia to lead Al Ain and Al Khaleej, before getting a temporary job at Al Nassr.
At Al Batin since October 2021, he kept the team up by the narrowest of margins last year. If he can do the same again this season, it will be his greatest achievement.
2022/23
In 15 games so far, winless Al Batin have recorded three draws and 12 losses. But with a pair of these draws since the New Year, coach Horvat and Al Batinโs fans will hope this upturn in form for the second half of the season leads to another โgreat escapeโ.
THE HISTORY
Founded in 1979, Al Batin have fought their way through the leagues right to the top.
Al Batin won promotion from the Saudi Third Division in 2008. Three years later, they were going up again, into the second tier, finally making their Saudi Pro League debut in 2016.
The first season was a nervy one as they finished 12th in what was then a 14-team league. It meant a tense relegation play-off which was won 3-2 over two legs against Najran.
Relegation came knocking in 2019, but Al Batin bounced back at the first time of asking.
STADIUM
Al Batin Club Stadium is one of the smaller ones in Roshn Saudi League, holding 6,000 fans, but it is capable of creating a fine atmosphere when the locals come out in force to support their team.