Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Match Preview
The Saudi Pro League heats up on Thursday, 8 January 2026, as title contenders Al Nassr welcome the ambitious Al Qadsiah to Al-Awwal Park. The Knights of Najd sit 2nd in the table with 31 points but have stumbled recently, collecting just one point from their last two games—a 2–3 loss to Al Ahli and a 2–2 draw with Al Ettifaq. Stefano Pioli’s side is desperate to close the gap on league leaders Al Hilal.
Al Qadsiah, meanwhile, are flying high. Sitting 5th with 24 points, the visitors have won back-to-back games, including a dominant 4–0 thumping of Al Riyadh and a thrilling 3–2 victory over Al Shabab. With former Premier League boss Brendan Rodgers at the helm and a squad packed with European experience, they will arrive in Riyadh believing they can inflict further damage on a depleted Al Nassr side.
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Match Info
- Competition: Roshn Saudi League (Matchday 13)
- Venue: Al-Awwal Park (King Saud University Stadium), Riyadh (Capacity: 25,000)
- Date: Thursday, 8 January 2026
- Kickoff: 20:30 AST (Local) | 17:30 UTC | 12:30 ET
- Referee: TBC (SAFF Appointment)
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Match Stakes
Al Nassr (2nd — 31 pts):
- Win → Moves to 34 pts; keeps the pressure on Al Hilal and restores confidence after a winless mini-run.
- Draw → Risks falling further behind in the title race; allows Al Ahli or Al Ittihad to close the gap.
- Loss → A crisis result; three games without a win would raise serious questions about their title credentials.
Al Qadsiah (5th — 24 pts):
- Win → Moves to 27 pts; closes the gap to the top 4 to just one point.
- Draw → A statement result away at one of the “Big Four”; extends unbeaten run to 3 games.
- Loss → Stalls their momentum; keeps them firmly in the “best of the rest” pack.
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Team News
Al Nassr:
- Sadio Mané — Out (International Duty – AFCON 2025 with Senegal)
- Mohamed Simakan — Questionable (Hamstring Injury – missed last 3 games)
- Sami Al-Najei — Out (Ankle Injury)
- Otávio — Available (Key creator in Mane’s absence)
- Cristiano Ronaldo — Available (Captain & Top Scorer)
- Defensive Worries: Having conceded 5 goals in the last 2 games, Pioli may reshuffle the backline, possibly bringing Aymeric Laporte back into a central role if Simakan isn’t risked.
Al Qadsiah:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — Questionable (Thigh Injury / Returned early from AFCON after Gabon’s elimination)
- Julian Quiñones — Available (In red-hot form; scored in 4-0 win vs Al Riyadh)
- Nacho — Available (Defensive leader vs his former Real Madrid teammate CR7)
- Koen Casteels — Available (Starting GK)
- Full Strength: Aside from the Aubameyang doubt, Rodgers has a largely fully fit squad to choose from.
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Al Nassr
- 02/01 — 2–3 vs Al Ahli (SPL)
- 30/12 — 2–2 vs Al Ettifaq (SPL)
- 27/12 — 3–0 vs Al Okhdood (SPL)
- 24/12 — 5–1 vs Al Zawraa (ACL Two)
- 10/12 — 4–2 vs Al Wahda (Friendly)
Al Qadsiah
- 04/01 — 4–0 vs Al Riyadh (SPL)
- 31/12 — 3–2 vs Al Shabab (SPL)
- 27/12 — 1–1 vs Damac (SPL)
- 28/11 — 3–4 vs Al Ahli (Kings Cup – AET)
- 21/11 — 1–2 vs Al Ahli (SPL)
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 18/04/2025 — Al Qadsiah 2–1 Al Nassr (SPL)
- 22/11/2024 — Al Nassr 1–2 Al Qadsiah (SPL)
- 18/02/2021 — Al Qadsiah 1–0 Al Nassr (SPL)
- 07/11/2020 — Al Nassr 2–0 Al Qadsiah (SPL)
- 06/02/2019 — Al Nassr 3–1 Al Qadsiah (SPL)
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Al Nassr (4-2-3-1)
Bento; Al-Ghannam, Laporte, Lajami, Al-Najdi; Brozovic, Al-Khaibari; Talisca, Otávio, Ghareeb; Ronaldo
Al Qadsiah (4-3-3)
Casteels; Al-Shamat, Nacho, Alvarez, Al-Shahrani; Nandez, Al-Qahtani, Puertas; Quiñones, Aubameyang (or Al-Salem), Al-Ammar
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Impact Bench
Al Nassr: Wesley (Pace), Angelo (Skill)
Al Qadsiah: Al-Salem (Target man), Carrillo (Experience)
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Tactical Analysis
Al Nassr
Without Sadio Mané’s tireless running, Al Nassr looked disjointed against Al Ahli. They will rely heavily on Talisca drifting inside and Otávio finding pockets of space. Defensively, they are vulnerable to pace on the counter—something Al Qadsiah possesses in abundance. Ronaldo will need quality service from the flanks, as Nacho knows his movement inside out.
Al Qadsiah
Brendan Rodgers has turned Al Qadsiah into a pressing machine. They have scored 7 goals in their last two games, with Julian Quiñones looking unstoppable cutting in from the left. Their game plan will be to exploit the space behind Al Nassr’s attacking full-backs (Al-Ghannam). If Aubameyang is fit, his speed against a high line could be lethal; if not, they will rely on quick transitions through midfield.
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Key Battles
- Ronaldo vs Nacho — The Real Madrid reunion. Nacho knows every trick in CR7’s book.
- Quiñones vs Al-Ghannam — Al Nassr’s right-back loves to attack, leaving space for Quiñones to exploit.
- Brozovic vs Nandez — A tenacious battle for midfield control.
- Talisca vs Alvarez — Can the Uruguayan defender stop Talisca’s long-range threat?
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Spotlight Players
Al Nassr — Anderson Talisca
With Mané at AFCON, the Brazilian “Snake” must step up. He has the magic to win games on his own, but he needs to be more consistent than he was in the Al Ahli defeat.
Al Qadsiah — Julian Quiñones
The Mexican forward is in the form of his life. His direct running and finishing ability make him the biggest threat to Al Nassr’s fragile defense.
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Prediction
Al Nassr 2–2 Al Qadsiah
Al Nassr are leaking goals (5 in 2 games) and missing key players. Al Qadsiah are scoring freely and have won the last three H2H meetings against Nassr. While Ronaldo at home is a force, Al Qadsiah’s current momentum suggests they will take at least a point back to Khobar.
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Betting Insights
- Over 2.5 Goals — Very Likely (Both teams scoring for fun).
- Both Teams to Score — YES.
- Double Chance — Al Qadsiah or Draw (High Value).
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — Where to Watch
- Saudi Arabia: SSC (Saudi Sports Company) / Shahid
- International: DAZN, Fox Sports (USA), Canal+ (France)
Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah — FAQs
Q: When is the Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah match?
A: The match kicks off on Thursday, 8 January 2026, at 20:30 local time.
Q: Is Sadio Mané playing?
A: No. He is on international duty with Senegal at AFCON 2025.
Q: Is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang playing?
A: He is questionable due to a thigh issue but has returned from AFCON duty.
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