Al Fateh meets Al-Nassr at Al -Awwal Park on Sunday in a crucial match between the SPL's upper and lower teams.
Home side Al-Nassr positioned athwart in the fourth spot maintains a two-point difference with place three yet trails the first two teams by eleven points while their opponents Al Fateh situated at the table's base made minor strides towards security after collecting their second victory this season during Wednesday's matchup.
Led by their fourth-place standing, the Faris Najd team has collected 32 points across their first 16 matches and now aims to secure their tenth domestic title since 2019 despite trailing Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad by 11 points.
The strong beginning under Stefano Pioli's leadership encountered difficulties in late 2024 when Faris Najd collected two victories but also suffered their first two defeats in the league while playing six matches ending before the winter break.
Their recent schedule of matches began successfully when they beat Al Okhdood 3-1 and earned a draw at Al-Taawoun before ending Tuesday at Al Khaleej with a 3-1 victory through goals by Sultan Al-Ghannam and Cristiano Ronaldo's late strike.
Al-Nassr stands at a crucial point in the title race after their 3-1 victory against Al-Qadisiyah because equaling third spot now has a three-point margin with current leaders Al-Hilal eleven points ahead. Al-Nassr must deliver another victory against Al-Watani on Sunday to sustain momentum toward the league's top two during the remainder of the season.
Al-Nassr, who lost ground before the year began, will be back in action on Sunday hoping to win two in a row and close the distance to the leaders of the division.
While their opponents are on the other side of the table, their visitors are also looking for a significant win this weekend.
Despite finishing in the top eight in each of the previous four Saudi Pro League seasons, Al Fateh has had a dismal start to the 2024–25 season, finishing at the bottom of the division with just nine points from their first 16 games.
Al Fateh's recent struggles in the Saudi Pro League have been marked by a concerning 13-match winless run, with only two victories to their name so far this season. Their defense has been a major issue, conceding 32 goals during this difficult stretch, while their offense has only managed 11 goals. The low point of this run was a crushing 9-0 defeat to Al-Hilal in mid-January, a result that led to the appointment of Jose Gomes as manager after Jens Gustafsson's departure.
However, Al Fateh showed resilience in their recent match against Damac, securing a crucial 2-1 win despite going behind early. Sofiane Bendebka's equalizer and a last-minute penalty by Mourad Batna helped them snatch all three points in dramatic fashion, offering a glimmer of hope in their relegation battle. Although they remain at the bottom of the table, the win brought them closer to 17th-placed Al-Wehda and reduced their survival gap to just five points.
Al Fateh will now look to build on this positive momentum as they aim for a major upset against a higher-ranked opponent in their upcoming match on Sunday. A win could significantly boost their survival hopes and provide the team with much-needed confidence as they approach the halfway point of the season.
