King's Cup: Who will come through the all-RSL quarter-finals?

There may be a pause in the Roshn Saudi League at present, but almost half of our clubs are still in competitive action, with the King’s Cup quarter-finals taking place across Friday and Saturday.

In fact, it’s an all-RSL last eight, with holders - and Saudi champions - Al Ittihad intent on retaining the trophy they captured superbly last season.

Here’s a breakdown of the quarter-finals, which promise to go some way to sating the appetite while the RSL catches breath following a thrilling Matchweek 9.

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Al Kholood v Al Khaleej (Nov. 28)

Now used to being Saudi Arabian history-makers - they debuted in the RSL last season and then in the summer became the league’s first foreign-owned club - Al Kholood have never made it to this stage of the cup.

Des Buckingham’s side come into the clash with Al Khaleej most likely extra determined to get a result having last week lost the RSL’s first Ar Rass derby. There, they went down 2-1 against Al Hazem to slip to 11th in the table. It marked Al Kholood's fourth straight defeat in the top flight.

Al Khaleej, meanwhile, represent one of the storylines of the RSL campaign thus far, where they sit sixth despite Sunday’s 4-1 reverse at leaders Al Nassr, a contest that featured that Cristiano Ronaldo goal.

Still, it constituted Al Khaleej’s first league defeat in five, while Giorgos Donis’ side are not often involved in a dull match: they scored four times against each of Al Riyadh, Al Ittihad and Al Hazem in a four-round RSL spell.

Look out for Konstantinos Fortounis, the RSL October Player of the Month who leads the assist charts, with nine.

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Al Ahli v Al Qadsiah (Nov. 28)

One of two quarter-finals that pits against one another two teams who’ve just faced off in Matchweek 9 of the RSL, this promises to be a cracker in Jeddah.

While Al Ahli finished fifth in the top flight last term, they have proven to be cup specialists of late, in May winning a historic AFC Champions League Elite crown and then following it up in August with the Saudi Super Cup.

Al Ahli are beginning to purr in the RSL: one of three teams still unbeaten this season, their past two matches has seen them triumph in the Sea Derby against champions Al Ittihad and, last Friday, see off Al Qadsiah 2-1 at home. Galeno announced his return to full fitness with the opener.

For Al Qadsiah, the loss in Jeddah meant they swapped places in the table with Al Ahli and drop a spot to fifth. Michel’s men have stumbled a little recently, being held to a draw at home to relegation-threatened Al Okhdood and losing at Al Taawoun.

However, with Mateo Retegui shining on RSL debut and current RSL Young Player of the Year Musab Al Juwayr pulling the strings, Al Qadsiah will fancy a run to a second successive King’s Cup final.

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Al Hilal v Al Fateh (Nov. 29)

Speaking of teams who’ve only just met, Friday’s opening fixture sees a re-run of the weekend encounter at Kingdom Arena, where Al Hilal emerged 2-1 winners.

The 2023-24 RSL champions were made to work hard for the victory, though, with Darwin Nunez first drawing the hosts level before Ruben Neves converted a penalty two minutes from time.

The success moved Al Hllal second - they are four points back from Al Nassr - and at the same time extended their winning run across all competitions to 11 games.

Like Al Ittihad last season, Al Hilal clinched the double the previous campaign, so will be driven to maintain manager Simone Inzaghi’s push for silverware in his first year in the Kingdom.

In contrast, Al Fateh are not enjoying the best of times at present. The Al Ahsa club come into the quarter-final lying second from bottom in the league having won only once in the competition this term.

The King’s Cup, then, offers the opportunity of a reprieve, even if they’ve been handed one of the most difficult draws of the last eight. Manager Jose Gomes will need to inspire his side should they want to progress. Can the likes of Mourad Batna and Matias Vargas deliver?

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Al Ittihad v Al Shabab (Nov. 29)

It hasn’t been the greatest title defence for the RSL champions. After nine rounds, they are down in seventh, with last Friday’s 2-1 victory at home to Al Riyadh their first in the league in six outings.

However, among that unwelcome sequence of results, Al Ittihad displayed their resolve to keep hold of the King’s Cup, coming through their titanic last-16 clash at Al Nassr. To this date, that 2-1 triumph is the only time Al Nassr have lost anywhere this season.

Just like last season, captain Karim Benzema was integral to Al Ittihad’s thrive, with the former Ballon d’Or winner finding his scoring touch again last week against Al Riyadh.

In Al Shabab, though, they go head-to-head against one of the off-form teams in the RSL. Manager Imanol Alguacil has endured a daunting debut campaign in the Kingdom, the Spaniard guiding the capital club to a solitary league win in nine.

On Sunday, Al Shabab’s struggles sustained when they were held to a draw at lowly Al Okhdood. It means they are 13th, only three points above the relegation zone.

Although, Abderrazak Hamdallah did open his account for the season. The Moroccan, the second-highest scorer in RSL history, was a beaten finalist in the 2019-20 King’s Cup - with Al Ittihad.