DUBAI: The Saudi Pro League will increase by two teams next season while the prize money for teams in Division One will increase six fold as part of radical changes to the league system announced by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) on Friday.
The foreign-player quota in the First Division has also been revised, with clubs now allowed to sign seven foreign players instead of two, with a maximum of six foreigners allowed on the pitch at the same time.
But it is the upscaling of the top league in the country, from 14 to 16 teams, that is the big news from the announcement made on Twitter on Friday morning. The new configuration will be achieved by promoting the top two from the First Division at the end of the season. The bottom two of the Saudi Pro League this season will face the sides finishing third and fourth in the First Division in a two-legged play-off at the end of the season to decide the other remaining spots in the top tier.
From next season, the bottom three sides in the Pro League will be relegated and replaced by the top three sides in the First Division. The side finishing 13th in the top flight will have to enter a two-legged playoff against the fourth-placed team in the First Division.
The number of teams competing in the First Division will be increased from 16 to 20 from next season and the winners will receive SR5 million ($1.3 million), up from SR750,000 this season. The runners-up will pocket SR3 million instead of SR400,000 and the third-place team will land SR2 million, a significant jump from SR175,000.
Further down the pyramid, the Second Division will grow from 20 teams to 24 teams while the Third Division has been scrapped.
The Olympic League, an U-21 competition, will also be abolished at the end of the season. According to a spokesman, the SAFF is working on an alternative plan for competition youth football in the Kingdom, one that will best serve its preparation for the AFC U-23 Championship and the Olympic Games in 2020.
Saudi Pro League to increase to 16 teams and First Division winners to land SR5 million
Saudi Pro League to increase to 16 teams and First Division winners to land SR5 million
Guardiola hails Man City’s ‘massive’ win over Newcastle
- Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Pep Guardiola labelled Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday as a “massive” moment in the Premier League title race.
Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Nico O’Reilly put City ahead in the first half and restored the lead before half-time after Lewis Hall had equalized.
City weren’t at their best in the second half, but they held on to pile pressure on spluttering Arsenal, who travel to Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday.
Guardiola knew it was essential to make Arsenal sweat.
“Massive. Newcastle is an incredible team, awesome in physicality and speed they have up front. Physicality in the middle. Really tough but the team was unbelievable,” he said.
“It’s coming in best part of the season. Every single game will be similar to today.”
After finishing without a trophy last season, City are back in the hunt for the seventh English title of Guardiola’s reign.
They will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and are guaranteed to win the title if they win their last 11 league matches.
Guardiola has embarked on an expensive overhaul of City’s squad in the last 12 months, shedding aging stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and Kyle Walker and bringing in the likes of Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki.
The Spaniard is well aware that his new generation largely lacks the experience of winning under the pressure of a title race, which made their gritty success against Newcastle even more meaningful.
“70 percent of the players have never been in that situation, and I don’t play. So we have to live it, they know that every game will be like this,” he said.
“Especially at home, with five home games left. Today was the best crowd of the year, it was unbelievable with our people, really proud to be manager of these incredible people and fans.
“Of course in terms of points it’s important, but we have to improve to have chance to compete until the end. Now we deserve three more days off. Then another battle in Leeds.”
Guardiola singled out O’Reilly for praise after the young England midfielder’s pair of clinical finishes showed he won’t be affected by the strain of chasing Arsenal.
“Nico give us in the middle that physicality that we need. He now plays in his position,” he said.
“He has always played that, he is so complete and so young. I am really pleased the academy produced these incredible players, Nico, Phil (Foden), Rico (Lewis).”
