Al Nassr vs Al Qadsiah: Ronaldo and Nacho face off, and other key battles

Thursday night throws up a huge match towards the top of the Roshn Saudi League, when Al Nassr host Al Qadsiah at Al Awwal Park.

The Matchweek 14 encounter pits against one another the division’s second- and fifth-placed sides, with the former, Al Nassr, looking to bounce back following a first defeat of the season last time out.

The 3-2 reverse at Al Ahli, coupled with Al Hilal’s 2-0 triumph at Damac, meant Cristiano Ronaldo and Co relinquished their place at the summit - a position they’d held since the very first round.

So, can they get back to winning ways? Yet challenges don’t come much more difficult, especially since Al Qadsiah are purring following the appointment of former Liverpool and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers. What's more, Al Nassr have lost their past three games against them.

Take a look, then, at these individual head-to-heads, which should go some way to deciding the outcome.

--------

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Nacho

Former teammates, ex-Real Madrid captains and both considered greats at the giants of world football, the pair will once again put aside friendship to face-off in the RSL.

Ronaldo perches joint-top of the 2025-25 scoring charts, with 13 goals, while Nacho has guided Al Qadsiah to enjoying the equal-second-best defensive record in the division (12 conceded). Which Real Madrid legend will come out on top this time?

--------

Marcelo Brozovic vs Musab Al Juwayr

The Croatian and the Saudi Arabian make their respective teams tick, with Brozovic crucial to how Al Nassr set about opponents.

The former Inter Milan midfielder will therefore come into direct confrontation with Al Juwayr, the reigning RSL Young Player of the Year who shone last season at Al Shabab. A former Al Hilal man, he would no doubt love to get one over Riyadh rivals Al Nassr.

--------

Joao Felix vs Nahitan Nandez

Has there been a more impressive RSL debut than Felix’s? The Al Nassr forward, signed this summer from Chelsea, began life in the top-flight with a hat-trick, added another in Matchweek 5 and, in all, resides alongside teammate Ronaldo at the top of the season’s scoring charts.

Felix’s tendency to drop deep will force him into Nandez territory - something, you’d imagine, the tenacious Uruguayan will relish. Indefatigable in midfield, Nandez can also provide much more going forward, although keeping the reins on Felix could well be the remit.

Joao Felix celebrates netting Al Nassr's fifth v Al Fateh - and sealing his second RSL hat-trick

--------

Abdulelah Al Amri vs Julian Quinones

With Mohamed Simakan unavailable, the task of shackling Al Qadsiah hotshot Quinones will fall on Al Amri. Not that the Al Nassr centre-back will shy away from that; his two goals against Al Ahli last time out, albeit at the other end of the pitch, shows he’s a man for the spotlight.

Rather more predictably, Quinones is in fine goalscoring form himself, his 17-second opener against Al Riyadh on Sunday taking the prolific Mexican to five goals in his past five RSL outings.

--------

Jorge Jesus vs Brendan Rodgers

Almost as importantly, the touchline tactical battle will go a long way to determining who departs Al Awwal Park the happier.

Jesus is a demanding and dogged manager, whose RSL pedigree helps explain why Al Nassr were this summer so eager to appoint a former Al Hilal head coach. His side boast both the best attack (37 goals) and joint-best defence (10 conceded) in the 2025-26 RSL.

In contrast, Rodgers is an RSL newbie but has already made Al Qadsiah more attacking: after an opening draw, they’ve won their past two, scoring seven goals in the process.