Crescent faces Al-Ain in Saudi Arabia

Al-Hilal begins the campaign to defend its title in the Saudi Football League tomorrow, Saturday, with an easy confrontation against Al-Ain, who is promoted for the first time, to the Elite League, while its runners-up will receive the victory, who has reached the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League, the surviving Al-Fath from relegation tomorrow, Sunday.

At Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Al Hilal, who outperforms his guest in all respects, is tipped over, despite some absences that his ranks will witness for various reasons.

Hilal has never lost his opening match in the professional league since its inception in the 2008-2009 season, and during those matches he only lost two points in a draw against Hajar 2-2 in 2013.

Al-Hilal made limited deals, as it contracted with goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Jadaani and Fawaz Al-Taris and bought the contract of the striker Saleh Al-Shehri, who played with him last season on a loan system, while he did not conclude any deal at the level of foreign players despite the departure of his Brazilian captain Carlos Eduardo at the end of the season to Shabab Al-Ahly. Emirati.

Al-Hilal was excluded from the Asian Champions League after securing its qualification for the final price, due to the insufficient number of its players in its last matches in the group stage, due to the outbreak of the new Corona virus in its ranks.

As for Al Ain, who is with the adults for the first time, his readiness came late, and his coach and his foreign players were not announced until days ago, which might make his mission difficult in the face of Al Hilal.

Al-Nasr, the 2019 champion and the runner-up of the previous edition, will open their matches against Al-Fateh, and the duo Sultan Al-Ghanem and Abdel Fattah Asiri, who are continuing their qualifying program that extends for more than a week, will follow their Moroccan teammate Abdel Razzaq Hamdallah, the top scorer in the league last season after a conflict with Frenchman Pavitimbi Gomes, the top scorer of Al Hilal.

Al-Nassr had a Yemeni soul by qualifying for the final of the Asian Champions League, but he wasted his lead against Iran's Persepolis and lost on penalties.

Al-Nasr, who had contracted with midfielder Khaled Al-Ghannam, Abdulaziz Al-Sulayhum and goalkeeper Amin Bukhari, had hit his administration hard in the past three months, so it got the services of the national team star Abdel Fattah Asiri from Al-Ahly in a deal estimated at 30 million riyals ($ 8 million). I contracted with the youth team player Sultan Al-Enezi from the Qaisumah club (second degree) before joining the defenders Abdulaziz Allawi and Abdullah Al-Shanqiti from Ahad and Al-Ansar clubs, in addition to two foreign players, the Korean Kim Jin-soo and the Argentine Goncalo "Betty" Martinis.

Al-Shabab and Abha tell the tape of the first stage matches, as the first looks forward to a strong start through which he reveals his undoubted desire to return to the competition that he has missed in recent years.

Al-Shabab is considered one of the best clubs in preparation for the new season, as it has concluded heavy foreign deals, on top of which is the attraction of Argentine midfielder Ever Banega, Portuguese Fabio Martins, Chilean defender Igor Lishnovsky and Lithuanian goalkeeper Gidrius Arlauskis.

Banega (32 years), a former Sevilla player and former Italian Inter Milan player, said that he is "excited to experience the Saudi League, and all the confrontations in it are strong and we are ready for any team."

He added, "The youth management provided me with all means of comfort and the team players welcomed me in a distinctive way, and this matter motivates me to provide the best."

As for Abha, ninth last season, he did not make major changes to his ranks, as he kept five foreign players and signed Australian Craig Goodwin from the unit and is looking for an outspoken striker.

Locally, it attracted Fahad Al-Jumai'a from Al-Nasr and Zaar Al-Otaibi from Al-Hilal.

Al-Taawon clashes with its guest Al-Faisaly at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Buraidah.

After a negative season for cooperation during which he escaped relegation in the last round, he made several changes, hiring French coach Patrice Carteron and attracting four foreign players, while at the local level he only concluded one deal.

The cooperation announced the renewal of the contract of the Cameroonian striker Leander Tawamba on Thursday, for a period of two seasons, after his refusal to extend it at the end of last season, which led to a dispute with former President Mohamed Al-Qasim, who resigned from the presidency a week ago.

In contrast to the cooperation, Al-Faisaly presented one of his most beautiful seasons, during which he competed for the Asian card until the last round, and finished in fifth place, two points behind Al-Ahly third.

The unit is looking for the full mark when it hosts Al-Qadisiyah, who is returning to play with the adults, at the King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Makkah.

Last season, Al-Wehda finished fourth and booked the last qualifying card for the AFC Champions League.

Although he has good names in various lines, his administration has strengthened its ranks with many deals, the most recent of which is Portugal's Hernani.

Al-Qadisiyah strengthened its ranks with Malagasy Karolos Andriamatsinuro and Colombian Danilo Espria before signing Brazilian midfielders Edson Dakruz and Romanian Mihai Bordiano, but their participation seems difficult due to their arrival two days ago.

Al-Batin, returning to the Professional League, plays against Al-Ahly, and Damak plays a strong match against Al-Raed, while Al-Ittihad plays with Al-Ettifaq.

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