Fahad Al-Herifi predicts Al Hilal will win the Roshn Saudi League after Al Nassr defeat

Fahad Al-Herifi has reiterated his prediction that Al Hilal will win the Roshn Saudi League this season, despite Al Nassr’s 2-1 defeat by Al Ittihad in Saturday’s fifth-round classic.

The former Al Nassr midfielder said the result had not changed his view, which he first expressed before the start of the campaign. Al Hilal have made a perfect start to the season, with five consecutive victories leaving them top of the table on 15 points.

Speaking on the television programme Dourina Ghair, Al-Herifi insisted that he would not change his prediction.

“I said it at the end of last season, and at the start of this season I settled on Al Hilal being the champions this year. Those who know me know that I do not change what I say. Of course, we are still at the beginning of the competition, but things appear clear,” he said.

Al-Herifi stressed that his assessment was not based solely on Al Nassr’s loss to Al Ittihad. Instead, he pointed to Al Nassr’s inconsistent form towards the end of last season, which he believes allowed Al Hilal to return to the title race.

Al Nassr had won their opening four league matches before suffering their first defeat against Al Ittihad. The setback left them on 12 points in second place and gave Al Hilal the opportunity to establish an early three-point advantage in the title race.

Al Ittihad moved up to 11 points and sit fourth after maintaining their unbeaten record. Their victory over Al Nassr came in the match billed as the latest league classic between the two sides.

Al Hilal, meanwhile, have combined a perfect record with an impressive attacking display in recent weeks. They defeated Al Ahli 3-0 in the fourth round before producing a 5-1 victory against Al Khaleej. They then beat Al Shabab 2-0 in the fifth round to preserve their 100% record.

The result against Al Ittihad therefore made Al Hilal the main beneficiaries of the weekend’s headline fixture, allowing them to increase their lead after only five rounds.

Al-Herifi’s comments were shared in a video clip carrying the message that he had made the prediction at the end of last season and was repeating it: “Al Hilal are the champions of the league this season.” The post also featured the hashtags associated with the Al Ittihad-Al Nassr match and the Dourina Ghair programme.

A “Buy your ticket now” promotion for Roshn Saudi League matches was also displayed alongside the video.