Neom take on the visitors Al Najma in the round 11 match of Saudi Professional League. The match will be played on Thursday, December 25th at King Khalid Sports City (Tabuk).
Neom were founded in the mid-1960s. However, a noticeable step forward came only after the arrival of the current owners. As early as 2022, the club managed to reach the second national football division. In the spring, they went on to win it. Despite this success, a new head coach was still appointed in the summer, Galtier, who had previously won the French league with Lille and PSG, and lifted the Qatar Cup with Al-Duhail last season. The squad now includes Bulka, Maschimião, Hegazi, Doucouré, Benrahma, while Lacazette, who arrived from Lyon, scores and assists regularly. Therefore, it is no surprise that the team made a solid start, losing no more often than they win. In the latest round, Neom drew 1–1 away against Al-Taawoun. Recent league results confirm that Neom look competitive even against established opponents. Their consistency at the start of the season suggests they are adapting well to the demands of this division.
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Al-Najma look clearly out of place in this league. The Stars from Unaizah spent quite a lot of time at the top level in the late 1990s and early 2000s, albeit with interruptions. Then came a decline that took them down to the third tier of Saudi football. They managed to return only by finishing second in the First League half a year ago. But so far, things have gone poorly for Mario Silva and his team, whose roster is far less impressive than that of the opponent, even if Samir once had experience in Serie A and played for Watford in 2022. They were eliminated by a lower-ranked opponent in the cup, and in the league the newcomers started with eight consecutive defeats, managing only a goalless draw against Damac in late autumn. Incidentally, they did beat Damac earlier in the cup, but were later knocked out of that competition as well. Recent performances show that Al-Najma struggle to cope with the pace and intensity of this level. Their lack of positive results away from home only reinforces the impression of a team still searching for stability.
The clubs faced each other for the first time last season in the First League. On that occasion, Neom won both away and at home. This is an opponent that should be beaten at home. The logical choice is Neom with a -1 goal handicap.
Prediction for the match: Neom to win with -1.0 handicap.
