Saudi Pro League 2023/24: The big names squaring off in Gameweek 9

Now the transfer window has sunk into hibernation until the winter, discourse surrounding the Saudi Pro League has quietened.

The free-spending nature of the league's PIF-backed 'Big Four' meant a day didn't go by in the summer when there weren't discussions regarding Saudi Arabia's increasing prominence in the footballing sphere.

The division was able to attract a whole host of stars, varying from twilight-hitting veterans to exciting young hotshots on the brink of big European moves. However, despite the shifting of talent from Europe to the Gulf, how many of us are actually aware of what's gone on at the start of the 2023/24 Pro League season?

Well, we're approaching Gameweek 9 with Al Hilal currently leading the way at the summit. Champions Al Ittihad are just behind in second, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr sit fourth in the table, while Al Ahli have endured a mixed start to the season and currently lay sixth.

While Al Nassr host the lowly Abha and Al Hilal visit Al Akhdoud this week, two of the PIF-backed clubs face off as Al Ittihad take on Al Ahli. The duel will see a whole host of big names pit their wits against each other and here are a few key individual battles to look out for.

Al Ittihad vs Al Ahli key battles

N'Golo Kante & Fabinho vs Gabri Veiga & Franck Kessie

The most intriguing duel when these two sides face off lies in the middle of the park. Former Premier League stars Fabinho and N'Golo Kante have formed a double pivot at the base of Nuno Espirito Santo's 4-2-3-1 and they'll face up against Al Ahli's Gabri Veiga and Franck Kessie on Friday.

The visitors have typically deployed a three-man midfield with the aforementioned pair operating as box-to-box eights. Thus, the Al Ittihad tandem will be tasked with keeping their midfield forays in check. While Fabinho and Kante each showed signs of decline before departing the Premier League, they're more than comfortable at this level.

Veiga was on the verge of signing for Napoli before that deal collapsed. He had been regarded as one of La Liga's brightest midfield talents, but he's endured a subdued start to his Al Ahli career. Kessie, on the contrary, has three league goals in eight games.

Karim Benzema vs Roger Ibanez

The former Real Madrid icon was the first superstar signing made by the Pro League in the summer as Benzema joined the Saudi champions. The prolific forward joined Ronaldo as the face of the Saudi top flight, with his mammoth contract highlighting just how significant a coup he was.

Benzema hasn't exactly set the world alight at Al Ittihad, though, and there were reports of a rift between himself and manager Nuno. The Frenchman has scored just three league goals so far, with Abderrazak Hamdallah emerging as the club's top scorer through eight games.

Nevertheless, Benzema so often provided the goods on the big night during his time in the Spanish capital and he'll be looking to replicate that knack in the Pro League. This is a big game for both sides and Al Ahli will turn to former Roma defender Roger Ibanez to slow Benzema down. The aggressive Ibanez is a chaotic performer who often drove the Romanisti mad with his tendency to produce a moment of madness.

He's not exactly the type of defender you'd trust to shut out a wily veteran of Benzema's ilk.

Luiz Felipe vs Roberto Firmino

Firmino's Saudi career couldn't have gotten off to a better start as he scored a hat-trick on his Pro League bow against Al Hazem. Since then, though, the Brazilian has started six league games without contributing to a single goal.

While the Brazilian wasn't an output machine towards the end of his Liverpool career, many would have expected Firmino to enjoy himself more in front of goal out in the Middle East.

Firmino will see plenty of former Lazio and Real Betis defender Luiz Felipe on Friday night, although Firmino's primary task may well be to drag Felipe out of position so the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin can exploit the space in behind.

2023/24 Saudi Pro League Gameweek 9 fixtures

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