Sports Mole previews Monday’s Saudi Pro League clash between Al Shabab and Al Okhdood, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Al Shabab will be looking to start their Saudi Pro League campaign with a victory when they welcome Al Okhdood to the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on Monday evening.
The hosts are aiming to challenge for the domestic title this term, while Okhdood are back at this level after gaining promotion in the 2022-23 term.
Match preview
Following a fourth-placed finish in the 2022-23 campaign, Al Shabab will be looking to break into the top three this time around, although that may prove to be a very difficult task.
Marcel Keizer’s men face the likes of N’Golo Kante, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in their quest for Pro League glory, with Al Hilal and Al Ittihad spending significant amounts of money on incomings this summer.
Al Shabab were superb in front of their own supporters last term, collecting 32 points from 15 league matches at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium – only Al Nassr and Al Ittihad managed more on home soil.
The White Lion have lifted Saudi Arabia’s top-division title on three occasions, but their last was 11 years ago back in the 2011-12 campaign, when the league was less renowned worldwide.
Al Okhood are joining the Pro League party at the right time, after ending their stay in the second tier by finishing third in the 2022-23 to gain a crucial promotion.
Manager Jorge Mendonca joined the club in July 2022 and has enjoyed turning his group of players in a side who are ready to battle some of world football’s biggest stars over the next 10 months.
The Najran-based team were the second tier’s most-prolific attack last term, making the net ripple on 64 occasions across the 34-game promotion-winning campaign.
On 15 May, Al Okhdood secured promotion to Saudi Pro League for the first time in their history after drawing 2-2 against Al-Faisaly, and the visitors on Monday night will become the 37th club to play at this level.
Al Shabab form (all competitions):
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Team News
Al Shabab have a side full of Pro League experience and have recruited solely from inside the division this summer, bringing in the likes of Gustavo Cuellar from Al Hilal.
The hosts have lost a couple of notable names over the off-season, including defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak, who has made the switch to FC Krasnodar in the Russian Premier League.
Al Okhood have brought in 12 new recruits ahead of a first-ever Pro League campaign, with the most notable perhaps being the capture of winger Alex Collado from La Liga outfit Real Betis.
Solomon Kvirkvelia and Andrei Burca have joined from the top divisions of Romania and Azerbaijan, and the pair could form a very experienced centre-back partnership on Monday night.
Al Shabab possible starting lineup:Kim; Sagourq, Al-Rubaie, Altambakti, Alsebyani; Sharahili, Cuellar, Monassar; Al-Jawaey, Bahbri, Banega
Al Okhdood possible starting lineup:Vitor; Faraj, Kverkvelia, Burca, Al Mansour; Tanase, Collado, Al Rabaei, Pedroza; Jamhoor, Mostafa
We say: Al Shabab 3-0 Al Okhdood
Al Shabab will be looking for another top-four finish this season, and a home clash against Al Okhdood is a favourable start to the campaign on paper.
The visitors will play their first-ever Pro League match on Monday night, and we are expecting them to be outclassed by Keizer’s men in the contest.For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data
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