Al Ittihad vs Al Ahli Prediction 31.10.2024 | Saudi Professional League

• Competition: Saudi Professional League
  Date: 31st October 2024
  Time: 18:00 UK / 19:00 CEST
  Venue: King Abdullah Sports City (Jeddah)

Two matches will define Round 9 of the Saudi Professional League: the clash between league leaders Al Hilal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, and the face-off between Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.

Al Ittihad might be the most star-studded team in the league. Leading them is Karim Benzema, the former Ballon d'Or winner, supported in attack by a trio in their prime—Diaby, Aouar, and Bergwijn. Behind them, Kante and Fabinho add stability to the midfield, while the defense is mostly made up of local talent, with experienced goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic between the posts. Under seasoned French coach Laurent Blanc, Al Ittihad is a serious title contender, having earned 21 points in 8 matches, with their only loss a 3-1 defeat to Al Hilal.

On the other side, Al Ahli has been the season’s biggest disappointment. Despite a lineup of global stars like Ivan Toney, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, and Franck Kessie, they sit in a disappointing 8th place with only 11 points. The pressure is on young German coach Matthias Jaissle, as this game may be his last chance to turn things around. Their latest 1-1 home draw against low-ranked Al Okhdood hasn’t helped either.

Al Ittihad vs Al Ahly pick: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE

Even though Al Ittihad holds a much stronger position in the standings than Al Ahli, betting odds only slightly favor the home team. This reflects how far below expectations Al Ahli has performed this season, despite their clear potential and quality. The main question is whether they can reach that potential under former RB Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle or if changes are on the horizon.

On Thursday, Premier League stars Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho, Ivan Toney, Roberto Firmino, Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, and other big names will share the field—promising an exciting, attack-driven match with hopefully plenty of goals. Al Ittihad’s defense has been solid so far, but they face an opponent with significant offensive power this time. At least one goal on each side seems like a safe expectation for this clash.