The Saudi Pro League calendar for 2025 closes with a blockbuster Matchday 12 encounter tonight, Tuesday, December 30, as league leaders Al Nassr travel to Dammam to face a resurgent Al-Ettifaq.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently celebrated winning the Middle East Best Player at the Globe Soccer Awards, this match is another step in his public quest for 1,000 career goals. He currently sits at 956.
Match Details
Kick-off: 19:30 Local (16:30 GMT / 11:30 ET)
Venue: EGO Stadium (Abdullah Al Dabil), Dammam
Current Standings: Al Nassr (1st - 30 pts) | Al-Ettifaq (8th - 15 pts)
Broadcast: Sony Sports (India), Fox Sports 2 (US), SPL YouTube (UK)
The Storylines: Dominance vs. Resurgence
Al Nassr: The Flawless Frontrunners
Under Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus, Al Nassr has been nearly perfect. They boast a 100% win record in the league (10 for 10) and have scored a staggering 33 goals while conceding just five. However, they are coming off a surprising 2–1 setback against Al Akhdoud in their last outing where Ronaldo was rested—proving that the "Knights of Najd" are far more vulnerable without their talisman.
Al-Ettifaq: The Giant Killers?
After a rocky start to the season, manager Saad Al-Shehri has steadied the ship. Al-Ettifaq enters this match unbeaten in their last four games, including a 2–0 win over Al Riyadh on Christmas Day. They will lean heavily on the experience of captain Georginio Wijnaldum, who scored a dramatic last-minute winner in their previous home game.
Team News & Predicted Lineups
Al Nassr Team News
The big news is the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to the starting lineup after he was rested last week. However, the squad is stretched thin due to injuries and international duty.
Out: Mohamed Simakan (Injury), Sadio Mané (AFCON duty with Senegal), Saad Haqawi (Injury).
Doubtful: Sami Al-Najei (Fitness).
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Al-Aqidi; Al-Ghannam, Al-Amri, Iñigo Martínez, Boushal; Brozović, Otávio; João Félix, Anderson Talisca, Kingsley Coman; Ronaldo.
Al-Ettifaq Team News
The hosts are relatively healthy and will likely field the same XI that beat Al Riyadh.
Key Player: Seko Fofana. The former Al Nassr man will have a point to prove against his parent club.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Rodák; Al-Otaibi, Madu, Hendry, Al-Khateeb; Wijnaldum, Fofana, Medrán; Ekambi, Dembélé, Gray.
Head-to-Head: A Competitive Rivalry
While Al Nassr is the historical heavyweight, Al-Ettifaq has proven to be a "bogey team" recently.
Last Meeting: Al-Ettifaq 3–2 Al Nassr (February 2025).
Total H2H: Al Nassr leads with 31 wins to Al-Ettifaq’s 15.
Stat to Watch: Al Nassr has won all 9 of their away matches across all competitions this season.
Tactical Analysis
Jorge Jesus favors a high-octane 4-2-3-1 that relies on the creative interchange between João Félix and Talisca to feed Ronaldo. Al-Ettifaq will likely counter with a compact mid-block, looking to exploit the space left behind Al Nassr’s marauding full-backs. The battle in midfield between Marcelo Brozović and Seko Fofana will be the deciding factor in who controls the tempo.
Match Prediction
Al-Ettifaq is organized enough to frustrate the leaders, especially with Al Nassr missing key defensive pieces like Simakan. However, with Ronaldo returning and chasing history, it’s hard to bet against the visitors.
Final Score Prediction: Al-Ettifaq 1–2 Al Nassr
