Al Nassr have recovered several key players for Friday’s Riyadh derby against Al-Diriyah in the Roshn Saudi League, although Saudi Arabia defender Abdulelah Al-Amri will miss the match after helping the national team win Khaleeji 27.
The two sides will meet at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh in the eighth round of the competition.
Saudi journalist Abdulaziz Al-Osaimi reported on his X account that Al Nassr head coach Ange Postecoglou had included Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman among the leading names in his squad for the fixture.
French defender Mohamed Simakan is also ready to return after recovering from a muscle strain sustained earlier this week. Ayman Yahya has likewise regained fitness and is available again.
“Captain Mohamed Simakan is ready, and captain Ayman Yahya returns. Captain Abdulrahman Ghareeb and captain Abdulelah Al-Amri are absent from the squad. The legend Cristiano Ronaldo is the first to be present, along with Coman and Joao,” Al-Osaimi wrote in a post dated 8 October 2026.
Simakan is therefore not the only player returning to the group, with Yahya also having completed his recovery from an injury that had kept him out during the recent period.
Al-Amri, however, will not feature. The defender is suffering from fatigue after representing Saudi Arabia at the 27th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup, known as Khaleeji 27, which the “Green Falcons” won.
Postecoglou will also be without another Saudi player, winger Abdulrahman Ghareeb, who has not been included in the squad.
Al Nassr go into the derby third in the Saudi league table with 16 points from five wins, one draw and one defeat. They are two points behind leaders Al Hilal and one point behind second-placed Al-Ittihad.
Their meeting with Al-Diriyah gives the club the chance to maintain pressure on the teams above them, while the return of Ronaldo, Joao Felix, Coman, Simakan and Yahya provides a significant boost to the available options.
