Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr made to wait: How do the 2025-26 SPL standings look after Al Hilal’s win over Neom?
worldsoccertalk.com · 2 months ago
Al Hilal defeated Neom and extended the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League title race until Tuesday, when Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr could still clinch the championship. Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr had a historic opportunity this Saturday to win two titles in a single day. In addition to playing the AFC Champions League Two final against Gamba Osaka, they also had the chance to secure the Saudi Pro League crown — something that ultimately did not happen because of Al Hilal’s victory over Neom. Al Nassr’s international run forced them to play their Matchday 33 fixture early, a couple of weeks ago against Al Shabab. That victory gave them a five-point lead over their closest challengers, Al Hilal. As a result, Karim Benzema’s team entered Saturday needing a win to take the title race into the final round of the season. And they delivered. Simone Inzaghi’s side earned a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Ruben Neves from the penalty spot and Sultan Mandash. With the win, Al Hilal cut the gap at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings to two points, keeping their title hopes alive heading into Tuesday. Al Nassr remain atop the Saudi Pro League standings with 83 points, meaning they still control their own destiny in the title race. However, any slip-up next week could allow Al Hilal to snatch the trophy away from them. Saudi Pro League standings (Google) What’s next for Al Nassr and Al Hilal? The 2025-26 Saudi Pro League will conclude next Thursday with Matchday 34, the final round of the season. Final standings will determine relegation, qualification for continental competitions, and, of course, the league title. League leaders Al Nassr will face Damac in a match with major implications at both ends of the table. While Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates will be chasing the win needed to secure the trophy, their opponents will be fighting to avoid relegation. Right now, they sit just two points above the drop zone, currently occupied by Al Riyadh. Al Hilal, meanwhile, appear to face a tougher challenge on paper. Instead of meeting a team near the bottom of the standings, they will take on a side that has enjoyed a more stable season. Al Fayha currently sit 11th in the table, although having nothing left to play for in the final matchday could affect their intensity. Possible scenarios for the Saudi Pro League title race All Matchday 34 games in the Saudi Pro League will kick off simultaneously on Tuesday to prevent teams from gaining an advantage by knowing other results beforehand and adjusting their strategy accordingly. For Al Hilal, the mission is clear. Sitting two points behind leaders Al Nassr, their only chance of overtaking them is by defeating Al Fayha. If Karim Benzema and his teammates fail to win their own match, they will have no chance of lifting the trophy. Al Nassr, meanwhile, have a wider range of possibilities in front of them. A victory would secure the Saudi Pro League title regardless of any other result. But if they fail to win, they will need to keep a close eye on what happens elsewhere. If Al Nassr draw or lose against Damac and Al Hilal fail to win, Cristiano Ronaldo would still lift the trophy. If Al Nassr lose and Al Hilal win, Benzema would claim the league title instead. However, if Al Nassr draw and Al Hilal win, both teams would finish level on points. In that case, the tiebreaker would come down to head-to-head results during the season, where Al Hilal hold the advantage after winning one meeting and drawing the other.
