Preview: Al Fateh vs Al-Hilal – prediction, team news, lineups

Mid-table Al-Fateh host Al-Hilal on Saturday night in Matchday 26 of the Saudi Pro League on the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium.

While Al-Fateh have struggled for consistency in current weeks, the visiting Blue Waves arrive firmly within the title race and will probably be trying to lengthen their unbeaten league marketing campaign.

Match preview

It has been a tough run of outcomes for Al-Fateh, who’ve managed only one victory from their final 11 matches and have didn’t hold a clear sheet of their earlier 12 outings.

Despite starting the marketing campaign on a optimistic word, the Sons of the Palm now sit eleventh within the desk with seven wins, seven attracts and 11 defeats, leaving them trying to find consistency because the season enters its latter levels.

Their dwelling kind has been blended, recording 5 wins, three attracts, and 5 defeats on the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, amassing 18 factors on their very own turf.

Jose Gomes‘s facet head into this encounter following a slender 3-2 defeat away to Al-Taawoun, and Jose Gomes will probably be hoping his facet can produce a powerful response regardless of going through one of many league’s title contenders.

Last season’s tenth-place end suggests the membership could as soon as once more settle right into a mid-desk end, although consistency stays their greatest problem.

Indeed, Al-Fateh have scored eight targets of their final 5 matches and have discovered the again of the web repeatedly, failing to attain solely as soon as of their earlier eight video games – a goalless outing towards Al-Nassr.

© Imago / Ali Issa

Al-Hilal, in the meantime, stay the one facet but to endure defeat within the Saudi Pro League this season, persevering with their spectacular 2025-26 marketing campaign with 18 wins and 7 attracts from 25 matches.

The Blue Waves have drawn two of their final 5 league matches however have in any other case maintained robust kind, amassing three victories throughout that stretch.

Simone Inzaghi’s facet have additionally been formidable away from dwelling, accumulating 28 factors on their travels whereas scoring a powerful 36 targets – the best tally recorded away from dwelling within the division.

Their most up-to-date outing led to a dominant 4-0 victory over Al-Najma, with Karim Benzema scoring twice whereas Malcom and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic additionally discovered the web.

Currently third within the desk and three factors behind league leaders Al-Nassr, the Blue Waves will see this journey as a precious alternative to maintain tempo within the title race.

The Blue Waves may even be aiming to finish a league double over Al-Fateh, having secured a 2-1 victory within the reverse fixture again in November, due to targets from Darwin Nunez and Ruben Neves after initially falling behind.

Recent conferences additional favour the guests, who’ve received every of their final seven encounters towards Al-Fateh and will probably be assured of continuous that dominant run.

Al Fateh Saudi Pro League kind:

Al-Hilal Saudi Pro League kind:

Al-Hilal kind (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / IMAGO / Ali Issa

Al-Fateh don’t have any main damage issues forward of the conflict and will welcome Matias Vargas again into the beginning line up after he missed their earlier outing.

Mourad Batna has been one of many team’s key attacking threats this season, scoring eight targets to date, together with 4 in his final three appearances.

In midfield, Marwane Saadane and Zaydou Youssouf are anticipated to function alongside Sofiane Bendebka, who will present assist to the attacking line.

Al-Hilal, in the meantime, could possibly be with out Ruben Neves, who stays a doubt with a hamstring subject and should miss out if he fails to recuperate in time.

Nasser Al-Dawsari is anticipated to stay sidelined with a toe damage till late March, whereas Hamad Al-Yami is unavailable as a result of a knee damage.

Hassan Al-Tambakti has returned to coaching after recovering from a hamstring downside and could possibly be concerned within the matchday squad.

The Blue Waves may even be with out Yusuf Akcicek, who has been sidelined since January with a muscle damage and isn’t anticipated again till early May.

Al Fateh attainable beginning lineup:

Pacheco; Baattiah, Aljari, Fernandes, Al-Swealem; Saadane, Youssouf; Batna, Bendebka, Al-Aboud; Vargas

Al-Hilal attainable beginning lineup:

Bounou; Al-Harbi, Koulibaly, Al-Tambakti, Hernandez; Milinkovic-Savic, Hawsawi, Kanno; Malcom, Benzema, Salem Al-Dawsari

We say: Al Fateh 1-3 Al-Hilal

While Al-Fateh have proven glimpses of attacking high quality in current weeks, their defensive struggles and poor run of outcomes make this a frightening job towards one of many league’s most constant sides. 

Al-Hilal’s attacking firepower and spectacular away document ought to give them the sting, and the Blue Waves are more likely to lengthen their unbeaten run with one other victory.

For information evaluation of the most certainly outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.