LONDON: Al-Ahli have signalled their intention to wrestle the Saudi Pro League title away from Al-Hilal by making three further signings, including a former Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid playmaker.
The Jeddah giants agonizingly finished second to Al-Hilal by a solitary point on the final day of last season, meaning Al-Hilal have now won the domestic title for the past two seasons and a record 15 times in total.
Al-Ahli last won the crown in 2016 and they have been very proactive and aggressive in the transfer market in a bid to bring it back to King Abdullah Sports City.
They launched their mini transfer spree by recruiting José Manuel Jurado on a two-year deal. The Spaniard started his career at Real Madrid, moved to Atletico Madrid where he won the Europa League and has enjoyed spells in Russia and England. The 31-year-old has played for Quique Sanchez Flores, who was contacted about the Al-Hilal job, three times in his career, most recently at Espanyol. He is capable of playing on either flank but is most effective in the No. 10 role. He could prove a very useful foil for Omar Al-Soma, who has been the league’s top-scorer in three of the past four seasons.
Another recruit from Spain is Alexis Ruano Delgado. The 32-year-old has also signed a two-year contract. He is a veteran of La Liga having played for Valencia, Sevilla, Getafe, Malaga and Alaves, with Valencia once paying €6 million ($7 million) for him. His career peaked when he scored one of the goals in Valencia’s 2008 Copa Del Rey final win. Delgado is set to form a new-look partnership with Motaz Hawsawi at the heart of the Al-Ahli defense.
The third signing player to join is Nouh Al-Mousa. The holding midfielder moves from Al-Fateh has signed a contract until 2022. He will dovetail in the middle of the park with fellow new recruit Abdallah El-Said who has joined from Egypt giants Al-Ahly on a two-year contract. However, Al-Ahli will be concerned that El-Said came off injured against Saudi Arabia in the World Cup game and new coach Pablo Guede will be eager to find out the severity of the problem.
As well as making four new signings, Al-Ahli have also moved swiftly to tie Al-Somah, Mohamed Al-Fateel and Hawsawi to new deals. One issue they will need to be mindful of is that the captures of Jurado and Delgado mean they now have the maximum number of seven foreign players on their books. Any further foreign recruits will mean cutting loose one of Mark Milligan, Al-Somah, Giannis Fetfatzidis, Claudemir and Leonardo.
Saudi Arabia giants Al-Ahli sign former Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid star
Saudi Arabia giants Al-Ahli sign former Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid star
- Jose Manuel Jurado joins on a two-year deal
- Two more sign for last season's runners-up
Real Madrid edge Valencia to stay on Barca’s tail, Atletico slump
- After Spanish champions Barca had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals
BARCELONA: Kylian Mbappe scored his 23rd goal of the season in La Liga to help Real Madrid claim a battling 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday and close the gap to leaders Barcelona to one point.
Third-place Atletico Madrid slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Real Betis, three days after thrashing the Andalusian side in the Copa del Rey, falling further away from the top two.
After Spanish champions Barca had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals.
Missing suspended forward Vinicius Junior and injured midfielder Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos lacked sparkle but did enough to claim three points on Spain’s east coast.
Alvaro Carreras put the visitors ahead midway through the second half and Mbappe struck late on to seal their win.
“It was going to be a game where we had to have a lot of patience. I think it was a win that came because of how solid we were, and our focussed performance,” said Arbeloa.
“I think that we were fair winners.”
England international Trent Alexander-Arnold made his return after injury as a substitute in the second half of Madrid’s victory.
Arda Guler and Mbappe had chances in the first half, while Madrid right-back David Jimenez, from the club’s youth academy, came closest to scoring but was denied by goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
Midway through the second half, Carreras conjured a goal out of nothing to give Madrid the lead.
Coming in from the left, the defender used his weaker right foot to stroke the ball inside Dimitrievski’s near post.
Valencia might have levelled but Lucas Beltran’s effort on the stretch clipped the post.
Madrid eventually secured the three points in stoppage time as Brahim Diaz teed up La Liga’s top scorer Mbappe to finish from close range.
“Right now he’s the best player in the world, for what he’s showing day after day and game after game,” said Arbeloa, who reiterated that Mbappe could live up to his boyhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy at Real Madrid.
“As I’ve said before, it seemed like Cristiano was something alien, impossible to equal, and that nobody would get close, but Kylian is on a good path... it’s not easy, obviously, but if anyone can, it’s Kylian.”
Valencia’s fans, some of whom had waved white handkerchieves during the match in protest at the club’s situation, headed for the exits with Los Che 17th, one point above the drop zone.
“It’s normal that (the fans) are nervous, I would be too,” admitted Valencia captain Jose Gaya to DAZN.
Revenge mission
Antony’s first-half strike helped Betis win at Atletico, earning his side revenge for their cup mauling, and leaving Atletico 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Betis, fifth, continued their push toward the top four, now trailing fourth-placed Villarreal by four points, although they have played two more matches than the Yellow Submarine.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico waltzed into the Copa del Rey semifinals with a hefty 5-0 win at Betis on Thursday, but this was a far closer affair at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium.
“It’s a tough defeat to take after the great game we had in the cup. We weren’t as good as the other day,” admitted Atletico captain Koke to Movistar.
“They set up a lot tighter at the back... We had very few chances and they played a great game.”
Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini made five changes to the team which crumbled at home and his side were determined to prove a point in the Spanish capital.
“I’m very happy for the goal and even more so for the victory — it’s been a very difficult week,” said Antony, who curled home after 28 minutes, beating Jan Oblak at his near post.
“We had to change, there was no other option... we’re sorry (to the fans) for the game in the cup.”
Atletico had the ball in Betis’s net with 15 minutes to go when Diego Llorente headed Giuliano Simeone’s cross into his own net, but Antoine Griezmann was judged to be fractionally offside and interfering with play.
Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao beat Levante 4-2, Sevilla and Girona shared a 1-1 draw, and Getafe won 2-0 at Alaves.
