Talking points ahead of a Riyadh derby for the ages between Al Nassr and Al Hilal

RIYADH RETURNS

AC Milan v Inter Milan, Boca Juniors v River Plate, Celtic v Glasgow Rangers.

All lay claim to boosting football’s greatest rivalry.

In the Arabic world, only Cairo’s Al Ahly v Zamalek can come close to matching Friday’s gladiatorial contest.

Dark blue and vibrant yellow will compete to colour the night at sold-out King Fahd, while partisan support is guaranteed from the electrified stands.

This is not a derby that requires stoking up. Hilal’s draws against Al Wehda and Ohod after new coach Zoran Mamic stormed to victory in his first five top-flight matches in charge have, however, thrown fresh kindling on the fire.

Recent history supports the pacesetters. They have lost just two of the last 12 meetings versus Nassr, winning seven and drawing three.

Stalemates have been recorded in the last two clashes. Nassr struck twice in five second-half minutes to earn a memorable 2-2 draw against 10-man Hilal when the clubs met in December.

A third-successive one – in both the SPL and derby – would, in theory, be welcomed by Hilal. But sensibilities are ignored in such heated games.

In the opposite corner, Nassr must go for the jugular and press home a momentum shift with only five top-flight games remaining after the final whistle if they are to triumph for the first time since 2014/15.

This Riyadh derby should be one for the ages.

CALLING OUT FOR CARLOS

Even a galaxy of stars needs a sun to orbit around.

For Hilal, that centrifugal figure is, unquestionably, Brazilian attacking midfielder Carlos Eduardo. His return to training this week was the perfect fillip for deflated fans.

For all the timeless quality that 38-year-old Mohammad Al Shalhoub possesses, plus the ingenuity of Italy’s Sebastian Giovinco, a sense of control and purpose was glaring in the staggering stalemate with Ohod. Of Hilal’s 20 attempts on goal, only three were registered by their chance-starved leading marksman Bafetimbi Gomis.

Eduardo is also not just a conductor. His 15 strikes in all competitions makes him, comfortably, second-top scorer for Hilal this term.

Without him, a major weapon was missing to breach dogged Ohod’s rearguard.

Eduardo’s unflinching finishing was exhibited in this fixture last term when he sunk a 64^th-minute penalty on enemy territory to earn a valuable 2-1 triumph.

His renewed availability will boost Hilal and unsettle buoyant Nassr.

HOW CAN YOU STOP HAMDALLAH?

Abderazzak Hamdallah has truly launched himself into an exclusive club in 2019.

The bullocking Nassr centre forward’s quartet against Al Wehda last time out made it 21 goals in 12 matches, in all competitions, since the turn of the year. It also moved him top of the SPL scoring charts, two in front of Al Taawoun sensation Leandre Tawamba and four ahead of Hilal hero Gomis.

This makes his average minutes per goal for this period a, frankly, preposterous 50.9.

Hamdallah’s raw physicality is likely to see Hilal boss Mamic opt at centre-back for both Australia’s Milos Degenek and Barcelona youth product Alberto Botia. Saudi Arabia’s Ali Al Bulaihi could also be added into the mixture, repeating February’s profitable experimentation with a five-man defence witnessed at Al Ittihad.

This, however, could be too simple a solution.

Emerging right-back Sultan Al Ghanam has produced assists in his last two top-flight run-outs and will revel in space vacated by wing-backs.

There is plenty for boss Mamic to ponder.