Saudi Pro League: Al-Ittihad vs Al Hilal Preview
Preview, Odds Karim Benzema vs. Neymar
Top Teams Face Off
The Saudi Pro League has raised its profile virtually overnight with many big signings from Europe’s top leagues. Two of the most high-profile signings have been Karim Benzema and Neymar. On Friday, Benzema’s Al-Ittihad will take on Neymar’s Al Hilal in a Saudi Pro League clash. Neymar is yet to make his league debut due to a knock, but he might be able to suit up here. We’ll look at the latest team news and odds in our Al-Ittihad vs Al Hilal preview.
Al-Ittihad vs Al Hilal
Day/Time:
Location: Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Head-to-Head:
Al-Ittihad vs Al Hilal Preview note that Al Hilal is unbeaten in the last four matches of this fixture. Last season, Al Hilal managed a 1-0 win at Al-Ittihad, and they drew 2-2 in the reverse fixture. Recent results should be taken with a grain of salt, as these teams are much-changed from previous iterations. Still, Al-Ittihad have won just one of their last 13 matches vs. Al Hilal on the Saudi Pro League schedule.
Al-Ittihad on Top of the League
Al-Ittihad made one of the signings of the Summer in the Saudi Pro League as they brought in Karim Benzema on a free transfer from Real Madrid. The reigning Ballon d’Or winner scored his first goal for Al-Ittihad last Thursday as they got a 4-0 win over Al-Riyadh. He also is a joint-leader in the Saudi Pro League stats, with two assists in three matches.
Benzema’s not the only star player on Al-Ittihad as N’Golo Kante and Fabinho form the base of a formidable midfield. The two former Champions League winners have helped Al-Ittihad to three wins in three matches. In fact, Al-Ittihad, who are on top of the table, haven’t conceded a goal yet. Former Celtic player Jota is another exciting option for Al-Ittihad up top.
Some of Al-Ittihad’s lesser-known players have also excelled over the last few matches. Aberrazak Hamdallah has an excellent goal-scoring record for Al-Ittiohad since joining in 2021. He’s found the net 37 times in 42 Saudi Pro League games, four of which have come this season. Igor Coronado and Saleh Al-Jamaan have also added two goals each. Al-Ittihad are defending league champions and won their first title since 2009 earlier this year.
Al Hilal Fans Await Neymar’s Debut
It’s been quite a busy Summer for Al Hilal. They’ve signed big name after big name in a bid to win their sixth title in the last eight seasons in the Saudi Pro League. They have a team that would be talented enough to compete in most European leagues. They recently managed to poach goalkeeper Yassine Bounou from Sevilla.
They signed center-back Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea and center mids Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Wolves and Lazio, respectively. They also added Malcom and Aleksandr Mitrovic to their forward line. However, Al-Ittihad vs Al Hilal previews note that Neymar is the main draw for Al Hilal.
Al Hilal signed the mercurial Brazilian from Paris Saint-Germain for €90 million after scoring 82 league goals in 112 appearances. He’s currently dealing with an injury but could make his debut on Friday.
A look at Al Hilal’s transfer dealings shows they’ve spent a ridiculous €350 million on players this Summer alone. Malcolm has been a standout, with three goals in three games. Salem Al-Dawsari and Abdullah Al-Hamddan have added two goals apiece.
Match Analysis & Odds
The main draw of this match is the opportunity to see Karim Benzema vs Neymar once again. Even if Neymar can’t suit up, Al Hilal have a lot of talent on their roster and were 2-1-0 heading into Monday’s match vs. Al Ettifaq. Along with Neymar, Kalidou Koulibaly is injured for Al Hilal.
In a match between the two current highest-scoring teams in the league, the Benzema vs Neymar odds price both teams at +150 moneyline odds. A draw comes in at +230 odds for Friday’s match. Meanwhile, both teams’ scores display -175 odds even though Al-Ittihad has kept three clean sheets.
In this pick’em, bettors can take both teams’ spread at -110 odds. The over/under goal total is at 2.5 goals, and the over shows -140 odds. Bettors should stay tuned for updates on Neymar’s status throughout the week, as the line could move significantly if he can play.
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