JEDDAH — Al Nassr seeks to capitalize on the current struggles of their host Al Ittihad, the reigning champions, when they meet on Tuesday at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah. This match is a postponed fixture from the 17th round of the Saudi Pro league. Al-Ittihad is grappling with various technical and morale issues that have impacted their performance, distancing them from competing to retain their league title. They have fallen to the sixth position with 28 points, trailing 22 points behind the league leaders Al Hilal. The team's struggles are compounded by a series of injuries, especially in the defense line, which is missing more than five players. The title holder has managed only one win in their last four matches across all competitions. This victory came in the first round of the Club World Cup, where they defeated New Zealand's Auckland City with a clean sheet of 3-0, before being knocked out in the second round after a 1-3 loss to Egypt's Al Ahly. Disappointing results led to the dismissal of their Portuguese coach Nuno Santo by Al Ittihad's administration. They appointed Argentine Marcelo Gallardo on Nov. 18, but he has yet to restore the team's former glory. Under Gallardo, Al Ittihad has played eight matches, securing four wins, one draw against Al-Ettifaq, and suffering three defeats, including two in the league against hosts Damac and guests Al-Raed, both with a 1-3 scoreline. Al Ittihad is counting on home ground advantage and fan support to regain their balance, but the task won't be easy against Al Nassr, who are in second place, 10 points behind their city rivals Al Hilal. Al Nassr is performing well in all competitions and is currently in top form, with a complete squad. They aim for their third consecutive league win to narrow the gap with Al Hilal to seven points.
