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((WATCH>>STREAMS!)) Al Nassr vs Al Hilal Live Free Online Broadcast 8 February 2024
Al Nassr vs. Al Hilal FREE LIVE STREAM (2/8/2024): Watch Riyadh Season Cup final online | Time, TV, channel. The final game of the 2024 Riyadh Season Cup pits the top two teams in the Saudi Pro League against each other as star-studded Al-Hilal take on Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr at the Kingdom Arena on Thursday afternoon.
Click Here to Watch Al Nassr vs Al Hilal Live Online
It's an all-Saudi Pro League affair as the league's top two face off in the 2024 Riyadh Season Cup final on Thursday evening.
The mid-season friendly tournament was supposed to give perennial rivals Ronaldo and Lionel Messi their "Last Dance."
However, the former missed Al-Nassr's game against Inter Miami due to injury, while Messi was benched and only featured for the final few minutes as his side got pumped 6-0 by the Knights of Najd in the second match of the Riyadh Super Cup 2024.
Al-Hilal currently lead the way in the Saudi Pro League with 53 points from 19 games, seven points clear of the runners-up and their opponents in this match, Al-Nassr. The Blue Waves kicked off the tournament with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Inter Miami just over a week ago.
As a result, the winner of the mid-season competition will be crowned by the match between the two Saudi powerhouses this Thursday.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: Riyadh Season Cup Final
Who: Al Nassr vs. Al Hilal
When: Thursday, February 8, 2024
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV: ESPN+
Cristiano Ronaldo missed the last dance with arch-rival Lionel Messi with a calf injury, but the all-time great is set to return to action and could take the place of young striker Mohammed Maran in the starting lineup on Thursday, having recovered from his knock.
Sadio Mane is also back available after representing Senegal at AFCON, and he could join Ronaldo in attack with Anderson Talisca and Otavio.
Veteran goalkeeper David Ospina was pulled out in the first half with a muscle problem on his injury return to the Al-Nassr side last time out after over a year out due to an elbow injury. The Colombian keeper is a major doubt for Thursday and could be replaced between the sticks by Saudi Arabia international Nawaf Al-Aqidi.
Although Al-Hilal will have to once again deal with the absence of marquee summer recruit Neymar, who is recovering from an ACL injury, Jorge Jesus' side could be boosted by the return of up to 12 players returning from international duty.
Up to nine Saudi Arabian players are anticipated to return after their stint at the AFC Asian Cup. Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, and Mauritanian midfielder Khadim Diaw are all in contention to return after their sides' respective crash-outs from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, Renan Lodi, Malcolm, and Alexander Mitrovic are among the high-profile stars set to feature for Jorge Jesus' side.
In the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Cup final, Al-Hilal will clash with Al-Nassr at the Kingdom Arena tonight. This event promises an intense showdown between two top-tier teams, captivating fans with thrilling football action. As both teams vie for victory, football enthusiasts and supporters can anticipate an exhilarating display of skill and competition in this friendly tournament final.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who suffered a calf injury before the InterMiami game, has indicated his desire to return to duty. Despite missing the last game, the Portuguese star has posted about his rehabilitation on Instagram, raising hopes for his possible return in the match against Al Hilal.
Ronaldo's return to fitness adds another element of excitement to the highly anticipated match, especially given his impressive form this season, with 20 goals and 9 assists in the league. His participation is expected to strengthen the Al Nassr team as they compete for victory at the Kingdom Arena.
"Back in Action," Ronaldo stated while holding up an image of his training session with the Al Nassr team, showing his readiness to return to the pitch. The Portuguese maestro's last outing in the Saudi League came on December 31 against Al Taawoun, when he scored a goal in Al Nassr's 4-1 victory.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the top scorer in world soccer in 2023. The striker scored 54 goals in the period and surpassed the likes of Harry Kane, Mbappé and Haaland. Since the beginning of January, the Portuguese star has scored 44 goals for Al-Nassr and another 10 for the Portuguese national team. In addition to the Saudi League, he also has goals for tournaments such as the Asian Champions League and the 2024 European Championship Qualifiers.
The event took place days before the friendly between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, which will be played this Saturday at the Kingdom Arena, and is the last game before the start of the Saudi soccer season. Coach Luis Castro, formerly of Botafogo, shared some images of the dinner on social media.
Luis Castro was the coach with the most wins in 2023. The 62-year-old had a total of 51 wins in 74 matches, from the Campeonato Carioca with Botafogo to the last round of the Saudi League with Al-Nassr. He had 25 wins in 38 matches with the Rio de Janeiro club and 26 wins in 34 matches with the Saudi team.
Al-Nassr honors Luis Castro and Cristiano Ronaldo for their records in 2023. The Saudi club organized a dinner last Tuesday to celebrate the Portuguese's milestones.
Coach Luis Castro and striker Cristiano Ronaldo were honored by Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr for their record-breaking performances in 2023. At a dinner organized by the club last Tuesday night, the Portuguese were honoured by everyone in the team and received a shirt framed with their respective marks.
It would be good if he had recovered from his injury. This is a game of spectacle and he's one of the best in the world. I hope he plays. It's going to be a nice preparation game," commented Jorge Jesus, who intends to give some minutes to the players who have recently been playing for their national teams.
The players who have arrived from the national teams are already training, maybe they'll play a few minutes tomorrow. The important thing is to prepare for next week's Champions League match. The players who were with their national teams didn't train for a week, so it's important to get them fit for the game on the 15th," explained the Portuguese coach.
Al Hilal and Al Nassr will meet in a friendly before the start of the second round of the Saudi league. The match will be played at the Kingdom Arena on Thursday, February 8. SRDeportes brings you three free predictions for this match.
Luis Castro's side secured a dominant 6-0 win over Inter Miami in their first warm up game ahead of a return to domestic and AFC Champions League action. With the Saudi top-flight campaign preparing to restart, Al Hilal are leading the way at the top of the table, with a seven-point lead over second place Al Nassr.
The key question for Castro is on whether to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back into the team after he missed out against Inter Miami with a calf injury. However, it is not thought to be a long-term issue, and he could play 45 minutes in this clash.
The mid-season event was set to contain Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's 'Last Dance' but the former was absent as Al Nassr thumped Messi's Inter Miami 6-0. The MLS side then succumbed to Saudi Pro League leaders Al Hilal 4-3 last Monday. Thus, Thursday's game between the two Saudi sides will determine the victor of the mid-season competition.
Al Hilal currently lead Al Nassr in the 2023/24 Saudi Pro League, with both teams heading into this contest in supreme form. Ronaldo's men were beaten away from home in their first head-to-head duel of the season, with Serbians Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic finding the back of the net in a 3-0 victory.
Jorge Jesus could be bolstered by returning AFCON stars Yassine Bounou and Kalidou Koulibaly. Both Morocco and Senegal have exited the competition since Al Hilal beat Inter Miami 4-3 last Monday.
Bono's return would see Habib Al-Wutaian drop out of the starting lineup. Former number one Mohammed Al Owais continues to struggle with a back injury.
Al Hilal will also be bolstered by the return of nine Saudi Arabian stars from the AFC Asian Cup, but Brazilian superstar Neymar remains out of action with a long-term knee injury.
This may be dubbed a friendly, but Thursday's Riyadh derby is bound to be fiercely competitive with both teams bolstered by the returns of multiple stars from international tournaments.
Ronaldo's comeback is crucial for Al Nassr, who are in a buoyant mood following their 6-0 thumping of Inter Miami. Al Hilal, meanwhile, take on DC United before Thursday's game and could be a little worse for wear.
The Saudi Pro League leaders eventually prevailed comfortably in the first league meeting of the season, but it's set to be a different story this time around with the 38-year-old superstar inspiring Al Nassr to a piece of silverware.