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 hope his players prevail in less nerve-jangling fashion than they did on their last league outing, edging to a 2-1 home victory over Al-Fayha courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo’s 104th-minute penalty for the five-time Champions League winner’s second goal of the game.
A more comfortable home win followed against Goa in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, winning 4-0 to stay perfect after four matches in this season’s competition.
Forward Mohammed Maran and Saudi Pro League top scorer Joao Felix came off the bench to score after Abdulrahman Ghareeb netted twice in one game for the first time in the winger’s career.
Promoted as champions for a second successive 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 win at Al-Kholood on October 30 was the Tabuk-based club’s fourth league victory this season, lifting them to 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 (@NEOMSportsClub) November 5, 2025
Galtier’s new players include former Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure and ex-Lyon, West Ham and Brentford wideman 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 France forward 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 with long-term knee injuries.
Centre-back Ahmed Hegazy could return from a hamstring issue, while Benrahma will be targeting more goals after the Algeria international scored his first two of the season against Al-Kholood.
Al-Nassr are likely to be much-changed after resting a host of players against Goa, with 20-year-old Brazilian forward Wesley the only foreign player in their starting line-up on that occasion.
Ronaldo was rested entirely and is set to return alongside the likes of defender Inigo Martinez, midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, winger Kingsley Coman and forwards Joao Felix and Sadio Mane, but centre-back Mohamed Simakan is an injury doubt.
NEOM vs Al Nassr expected line-ups
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 13:50 GMT on Saturday (08:50 ET / 05:50 PT). In the UK, the Saudi top-flight broadcast channel is the Saudi Pro League YouTube channel.
In the US, FOX Sports are the Saudi Pro League live broadcasters.
NEOM vs Al Nassr stats
- Only Al-Hazem (22), Al-Okhdood (21) and Al-Khaleej (20) have more yellow cards in this season’s Saudi Pro League than NEOM (20)
- NEOM have scored in each of their last seven matches
- Joao Felix, Ronaldo and Coman are three of the five players to have bettered Lacazette’s total of seven combined goals and assists in the league this season, alongside Al-Khaleej’s Kostas Fortounis and Josh King
- Lacazette has gone two matches without scoring for the first time this season, although he has set up a goal in each of those games
- NEOM have not kept a clean sheet for 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 this season’s division
- Al-Nassr have won 13 and lost two of their matches in all competitions this season
- Ronaldo has seven goals and an assist across his last five league appearances, scoring in each 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 hat-tricks in the league, is aiming to avoid failing to net in successive league games for the first time since joining Al-Nassr in July
NEOM vs Al Nassr prediction
Al-Nassr would have one win in their last three matches in all competitions but for Ronaldo’s last-gasp spot kick against Al-Fayha, but it would be a considerable upset if NEOM, who have lost their last two home games, were to secure a positive result.
The visitors have conceded in three of their last four domestic matches, so an 3-1 Al-Nassr win looks feasible.
