In a match to be played this Thursday at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, Al Ittihad need only a simple win against Al Raed to confirm their Saudi Pro League title, against the last-placed team in the standings and a team already mathematically relegated.
Al-Hilal postponed its rival's title by just a few days
Al Ittihad could have been champions last Monday, but Al-Hilal beat Al-Orobah 4-0 in Riyadh to maintain their mathematical chances of becoming champions. The three points came from goals from Mitrovic, Salem Al-Dawsari and Brazilian Kaio César, who scored two of the four goals.
With 68 points in second place, Jorge Jesus' former team need to win their next three games and hope that Al Ittihad score just two points. It's worth remembering that the first tie-breaker in the Saudi Pro League is head-to-head, as the leaders won 4-1 after being beaten 3-1 in the first round.
Al Ittihad is fully capable of confirming its title
So even though Al-Hilal won earlier this week, a simple victory guarantees Al Ittihad the title in all likelihood. The so-called "people's club" beat Al Fayha 3-0 in their most recent match, with Karim Benzema scoring twice and Mohammed Kareem Al Baqawi scoring an own goal, adding to their third consecutive league win.
Laurent Blanc's side should win their collective title, while Karim Benzema continues to fight Cristiano Ronaldo for the Golden Shoe. The Portuguese striker currently leads the ranking with 23 goals, two ahead of his former Real Madrid teammate.
For the match that should seal the Saudi title, Al Ittihad will have Moussa Diaby back after missing the last game through suspension for his sending-off against Al Nassr. Unai Hernandez is likely to return to the bench. It's worth noting that this will be Benzema's first trophy in Saudi soccer, after last season was dominated by Al-Hilal.