Al Hilal vs Al Ittihad Preview – prediction, team news, lineups | Saudi Pro League 2026-27

The previous derby ended in a 1-1 draw.

Al Hilal are all set to battle it out against Al Ittihad for their matchweek 8 fixture of the Saudi Pro League 2026-27 season. This intense outing will take place at the Kingdom Arena.

The Blue Waves have been performing really well in the league so far. In their first seven matches, they have secured six wins, and one ended in a defeat. Their recent win came against Al Taawoun. The Simone Inzaghi-led side put in a top performance to secure a dominant 6-0 victory. They will now be eager to extend their winning run.

Al Hilal at home are going to have a massive advantage, and this will keep them fully confident. They must control the game from the start and should not allow the visitors to take chances.

The Tigers are unbeaten in the Saudi Pro League 2026-27 campaign so far. They have secured five wins and two of their games ended in a draw. Jens Wissing’s men will be looking to continue their undefeated run, but the upcoming contest is going to be a tough one for them.

Al Ittihad will be away from home, but their current run of form will keep them confident. Taking control early is surely going to help them out against the Blue Waves.

Kick-off:

• Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Stadium: Kingdom Arena
• Date: Saturday, October 10
• Kickoff time: 11:30 pm IST/ 06:00 pm GMT/ 02:00 pm ET/ 11:00 am PT
• Referee: Not decided
• VAR: In Use

Form:

Al Hilal: W-W-L-W-W

Al Ittihad: D-W-W-W-D

Players to Watch

Gabriel Martinelli (Al Hilal)

Gabriel Martinelli is going to be one of the main men in the attacking front for Al Hilal. He scored a brilliant hat-trick and helped his side secure a 6-0 victory against Al Taawoun. The Brazilian winger will be eager to come up with another top performance and is going to be a constant threat to the opponent’s defence.

Youssef En-Nesyri (Al Ittihad)

The 29-year-old Moroccan striker will be looking to step up his game so that he can help his side put up a strong fight against the Blue Waves. He scored a sensational brace, leading Al Ittihad to a 3-1 win against Al Faisaly in their last Saudi Pro League outing. Youssef En-Nesyri will be once again deployed as a striker, and his movement in the final third can become an issue for the hosts.

Match Facts

• Al Hilal are on a two-match winning run.
• Al Ittihad haven’t faced a defeat in the Saudi Pro League 2026-27 season.
• Only one of the last five matches ended in a draw.

Betting Tips & Odds

• Al Hilal to win @1/3 Coral
• Ollie Watkins to score @8/11 Betfair
• Goals over 3.5

Injury and Team News

Theo Hernandez, Ali Lajami and Salem Al Dawsari are back in training for Al Hilal.

Al Ittihad will not have Ahmed Sharahili, Hamed Al Ghamdi and Hassan Kadish in action. They are injured. Houssem Aouar and Saad Al Mosa are back in training.

Head-to-Head

Matches played: 134

Al Hilal (wins): 61

Al Ittihad (wins): 42

Draws: 31

Predicted Lineups

Al Hilal predicted XI (4-3-3)

Bounou (GK); Mahzari, Al Tambakti, Koulibaly, Al Harbi; Milinkovic-Savic, Neves, Kanno; Martinelli, Watkins, Summerville

Al Ittihad predicted XI (4-4-2)

Rajkovic (GK); Al Shanqiti, Danilo, Kadish, Abdi; Al Ghamdi, Lopy, Rios, Bergwijn; Ilenikhena, En Nesyri

Match Prediction

Al Hilal have better squad quality, and being at home will give them another advantage. Al Ittihad are unbeaten, but are going to face a tough contest.

Simon Inzaghi’s men are likely to come out on top to secure a win in this derby.

Prediction: Al Hilal 3-2 Al Ittihad

Telecast Details

India: Fancode

UK: DAZN

USA: FOX Sports

Nigeria: DStv

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