Sat Oct 25 17:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Al Nassr Look to Bounce Back Against Al Hazem Following AFC Champions League Scare

Buraidah, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Pro League leaders Al Nassr travel to face Al Hazem on Saturday, October 25th, looking to reaffirm their dominance after a surprisingly challenging encounter in the AFC Champions League 2 against India’s FC Goa. Despite securing a 2-1 victory, Al Nassr struggled to break down Goa’s defense, even with late appearances from stars Joao Felix and Sadio Mane.

Al Hazem, currently 12th in the league with only one win in their last five matches, will be hoping to draw inspiration from Goa’s resilient performance. However, the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to Al Nassr’s starting lineup poses a significant threat.

Ronaldo, who was rested for the away game against FC Goa, is expected to lead the attack. He memorably scored his 850th career goal against Al Hazem last season. The Portuguese superstar will be eager to add to his tally of five league goals, currently placing him fourth in the Golden Boot race, led by his teammate Joao Felix (8 goals).

Joining Ronaldo in the attack are likely to be Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman, both of whom are joint second in the league for assists with four.

Key Absences:

Al Nassr will be without Marcelo Brozovic due to a muscle injury, and goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi because of a hamstring issue. Al Hazem will also be missing some key players.

Predicted Lineups:

  • Al Hazem: Bruno Varela; Ahmed Al Nakhli, Sultan Tanker, Abdulrahman Al Dakheel, Abdulaziz Al Harbi; Loreintz Rosier, Fabio Martins, Nawaf Al Habashi, Basil Al Sayyali, Elias Mokwana; Omar Al Somah
  • Al Nassr: Bento; Nawaf Boushal, Mohamed Simakan, Inigo Martinez, Aiman Yahya; Angelo Gabriel, Abdullah Al Khaibari; Kingsley Coman, Joao Felix, Sadio Mane; Cristiano Ronaldo

Where to Watch:

The match is scheduled to kick off at 9:00 PM Saudi time (11:30 PM IST) at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Buraidah. Fans in Sub-Saharan Africa can watch on ESPN Africa, and in India on FanCode. Live updates will also be available on ESPN.

Al Nassr will be hoping to capitalise on their dominant position in the League, and will be hoping to continue their run as leaders.

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