Riyadh Crescent vs Al-Nassr Preview: Núñez Faces CR7, Mané Absent, Ronaldo’s Loss Equals Losing the Title

At 01:30 on January 13th Beijing time, the 15th round of the Saudi Pro League will witness the top battle and Riyadh derby, Riyadh Crescent vs Al-Nassr.

The highlights of Riyadh Crescent vs Al-Nassr are as follows:

First:Team SituationsAfter 13 rounds in the Saudi Pro League, Riyadh Crescent remains unbeaten with 11 wins and 2 draws, topping the table with 35 points; Al-Nassr has 10 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses accumulating 31 points, 4 points behind. In the last round, Riyadh Crescent secured a 3-0 home victory against Hashem, extending their winning streak to 18 across all competitions; Al-Nassr lost 1-2 at home to Khubail Qadisiyah, failing to win in the last 3 league matches with 1 draw and 2 losses, dropping 8 points and shifting from leading Riyadh Crescent by 4 points to trailing by 4 points, dramatically changing the title race. Riyadh Crescent’s squad value is €195 million, featuring stars from the top five European leagues such as Núñez, Malcom, Milinković, Ruben Neves, Theo, Koulibaly, and Bounou; Al-Nassr’s squad value is €138 million, with stars like Mané, Cristiano Ronaldo, Coman, Félix, Bernardo Silva, Iñigo, and Simakan.

Second:Saudi Pro League Title Battle: Ronaldo’s Loss Means Losing the ChampionshipCristiano Ronaldo is in his fourth season with Al-Nassr and has yet to win a title. His style of play, relying heavily on receiving passes, drains the team’s tactics. Now in his forties, Ronaldo’s ability to finish has declined, and he often demands penalties in the box each match, steadily approaching the milestone of 1,000 goals. Considering both teams’ styles and overall strength, Riyadh Crescent is superior to Al-Nassr. Regarding coaches, Crescent is led by the renowned coach Filippo Inzaghi, who is stronger than Al-Nassr’s coach Jesus. Recently, Riyadh Crescent has won 18 consecutive matches across competitions and is in excellent form, while Al-Nassr has struggled with 1 draw and 2 losses in the last 3 Saudi Pro League rounds. Ronaldo tends to disappear in high-profile matches but must start due to the coach’s decisions.

In summary, Riyadh Crescent is favored to win at home against Al-Nassr, securing all 3 points and effectively ending the Saudi Pro League title race early. A loss for Al-Nassr means Ronaldo will lose the league title.

In their last 6 encounters, Riyadh Crescent holds a slight advantage with 2 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss.

Injury updates: Riyadh Crescent’s lineup is relatively complete. Al-Nassr will miss Simakan due to injury. Mané has advanced to the African Cup of Nations semifinals, facing Egypt led by Salah. Without Mané, Al-Nassr’s strength drops significantly, as shown by losing 8 points in the last 3 rounds.