Al Ittihad will look to tighten their grip on top spot in the Saudi Pro League when they travel to face Al Khaleej at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium on Wednesday. The league leaders secured a major boost in the title race last weekend with a commanding 4-1 victory over reigning champions Al Hilal, extending their lead to seven points at the summit.
It has been a flawless February for the People's Club, who have won all four league matches this month, and a fifth consecutive victory on Wednesday would strengthen their championship credentials even more. Following last season's disappointing fifth-place finish when they failed to retain the title, new manager Laurent Blanc took charge this past July, revitalizing Al Ittihad's title ambitions.
With 13 matches remaining, the league leaders must maintain consistency to defend their seven-point cushion. They head to Al Khaleej's ground, where they remain unbeaten across all competitions (with five wins and two draws). Al Ittihad has been flawless at home with 11 wins from 11 matches but their away form has seen three dropped points out of 10 fixtures (two defeats, one draw).
Meanwhile, Al Khaleej's hopes of securing their first-ever home win against Al Ittihad seem slim, as they have struggled lately with no wins from their last four league matches. After starting 2025 with two wins, one draw, and one loss, their form dipped after drawing with Damac, which led to back-to-back defeats and then another goalless stalemate against Al Fayha. During the latter match, their offensive struggles were evident, as they dominated possession but failed to score, registering 12 shots with five on target yet couldn't manage to hit the back of the net.
Currently sitting 10th on the table with 28 points, Georgios Donis’ side is still 11 points clear of the relegation zone, but they need to return to winning ways to avoid being dragged closer to the bottom of the pack.
For Al Khaleej, they will be without experienced Greek defensive midfielder Dimitrios Kourbelis, their only confirmed absentee, but coach Donis faces no fresh injuries to his squad. He could stick with the same side. Al Ittihad, on the other hand, will miss Ahmed Sharahili as he continues his recovery from injury. Star striker Karim Benzema, the joint-top scorer with 16 goals (including six in his last seven games), aims to lead his team to maintain their momentum at the top.
Al Khaleej’s possible starting lineup may include Sehic; Al Hamsal, Tisserand, Al-Khanrani, Rebocho; Hamzi, Hawsawi; Saleh, Fortounis, Martins; Al Salem. While Al Ittihad’s likely lineup could feature Rajkovic; Shanqeeti, Al-Mousa, Pereira, Kadesh; Kante, Fabinho; Diaby, Aouar, Bergwijn; Benzema.
Our prediction for the match is Al Khaleej 1-3 Al Ittihad. Al Ittihad's dominance this season makes them overwhelming favorites against the struggling Al Khaleej, who should find it difficult to stop the visitors from sealing what looks like another comfortable away win.
Shifting focus to another important matchup, the Saudi Pro League’s 22nd round will see Al Hilal host Al Khaleej at the Kingdom Arena on Tuesday. Betting enthusiasts may want to keep their eyes on the prospects for goals, as there seems to be ample opportunity for scoring.
Al Hilal has stumbled through recent league matches, dropping points at an alarming rate, which has allowed Al Ittihad to set up shop at the top with their seven-point lead, paired with Al Qadisiyah trailing close behind. Last weekend, Al Hilal faced Al Ittihad away and succumbed to a heavy 1-4 defeat. This marked their second loss out of the last five league matches, with just one win to show for it.
On the bright side, Al Hilal has been performing well on the Asian stage, confidently topping their group in the AFC Champions League. Contrastingly, Al Khaleej hasn't had the best start to this campaign, currently sitting at 11th place with just 25 points after 21 matches. They recently secured victory against bottom-placed Al Wehda, but their form remains patchy with six losses and just three wins from 11 away games.
The probable lineups for this matchup look promising. Al Hilal could start Bono — Cancelo, Koulibaly, Al Bulayhi, Al Ghanam — Neves, Milinković-Savić — Al Dawsari, Malcom, Al Qahtani — Leonardo, and Al Khaleej might include Grohe, Hawsawi, Troost-Ekong, Gyömbér, Al Shahri, and Dieng alongside Savan and Collado.
Looking at the statistics, the first-round meeting saw Al Hilal come out on top with a 4-2 victory. Recent trends suggest the 'Both Teams to Score' market could be highly viable, as it has landed successfully three times out of Al Khaleej's last five matches. Meanwhile, Al Hilal has seen similar outcomes with 'Total Over 2.5 Goals' betting winning three out of their last five matches.
While Al Hilal is the clear favorite, betting odds are low at around 1.08. A more favorable bet option could be on the 'Both Teams to Score' opportunity sitting at odds of 1.90.
Lastly, on March 1, 2025, Al Kholood will face Al Khaleej. Al Kholood currently sits at 12th place with 22 points, managing to secure six wins, four draws, and ten losses this season. They have shown variability at home with three wins and four losses and recently discovered success with three wins out of their last five matches.
Al Khaleej, positioned 9th with 28 points, has had eight wins, four draws, and nine defeats, but their performance has dipped with only one win from their last five games. Their previous encounter saw Al Khaleej triumph with a narrow 1-0 scoreline, adding extra motivation for Al Kholood.
Our betting tip for Al Kholood vs Al Khaleej is to back Al Kholood to win, possibly with the scoreline of 2-1, capitalizing on Al Kholood’s recent resurgence.
Given these insights, upcoming matches promise excitement and opportunities for bettors to capitalize on the current form of these teams.