Al-Hilal Vs Al-Raed

In a midweek Saudi Pro League encounter, Al-Hilal will visit the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium to face Al-Raed, with both teams having contrasting objectives.

Al-Raed currently sits at the bottom of the league table, trailing safety by nine points. Their recent 4-3 loss to Al-Taawoun, despite a valiant comeback attempt, has further jeopardized their survival hopes. A defeat in this match could widen the gap to 12 points, making relegation almost certain. Under the guidance of Kresimir Rezic, Al-Raed has struggled, losing four of his first five games in charge. Their home form has been particularly concerning, with no league victories since mid-November and conceding two or more goals in seven of their last nine home matches.

On the other hand, Al-Hilal is in pursuit of the league title, currently six points behind the leaders with five games remaining. A win in this fixture could bring them within three points of the top, especially if Al-Ittihad falters against Al-Nassr later in the day. However, Al-Hilal faces challenges of their own, having been eliminated from the AFC Champions League Elite semi-final by Al Ahli and parting ways with head coach Jorge Jesus, who is rumored to be linked with the Brazil national team. Club legend Mohammad Al-Shalhoub has stepped in as interim manager.

Historically, Al-Hilal has dominated this fixture, losing only once in 36 previous encounters against Al-Raed and scoring at least three goals in each of their last three meetings. Given their superior form and record, Al-Hilal is expected to control the match and secure a crucial victory in their title chase.