- Blanc expects tough challenge as Al Ittihad aim to defend domestic double
- Jaissle backs Al Ahli to carry 'momentum' of AFC Champions League glory into new season
- Inzaghi full of confidence ahead of first season as Al Hilal manager
RIYADH / JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - 28 August, 2025 - As the excitement and anticipation builds for the start of the 2025-26 Roshn Saudi League (RSL) season, the managers of three of the biggest clubs all agree that the title battle will be more fiercely-contested than ever. The new RSL campaign kicks off on Thursday following a summer in which clubs have strengthened their squads with top talent, both foreign and local, and a Saudi team made an enormous impact on the global stage. Reigning champions Al Ittihad begin their title defence on Friday with a trip to Buraidah to face Al Taawoun, aiming to build on last season's remarkable success; after claiming the RSL trophy by eight points, the Jeddah giants completed the domestic double by lifting the King's Cup. Al Ittihad manager Laurent Blanc said his team is ready for the new season but warned his players to expect an even tougher challenge. The Frenchman said: 'We feel very good about starting a new season, especially after the success of the previous one. From the first day of pre-season, I told my players that the 2025-26 season would be much more difficult than 2024-25. Why? Because all our opponents will want to beat us. And that's normal. Just as last year we wanted to beat everyone, this year we are the team to beat. 'That's something we have to accept. We must prepare well, individually and collectively, and the preparation has gone very well. It's up to us to measure the challenge in order to have a strong season. If we are not ready mentally to face these opponents, the season will be complicated. So we have to prepare properly and be ready.' Al Ittihad's dominance last season saw Blanc named Saudi Pro League Coach of the Year at the end of his debut campaign in Jeddah. However, the demands are going to be even greater in his second year. In addition to defending both domestic trophies, Al Ittihad will have to contend with the increased fixtures of their return to the AFC Champions League Elite - a competition Saudi clubs dominated last season with three of the four semi-finalists, including winners Al Ahli. A repeat of last year would make Blanc favourite to win the Coach of the Year accolade once again, but the former World Cup-winning defender insisted he is only interested in trophies with his club. Blanc said: 'Personal success doesn't interest me at all. I love football because it's a team sport. I love being a coach because you don't train one player, you train 25 or 30. It's about management. There are hard moments, moments of doubt. I like that. Success isn't personal. In individual sports maybe, but even then you have a team around you. Success must be shared. 'Last year was wonderful because we shared it with the fans, with the players, with everyone in the club. That's why I love sport; to share, not to stand alone and win for myself. That doesn't interest me. I like to share, and I hope we can share even more this season.' Jaissle and Al Ahli 'confident' of more success Al Ittihad will not be the only club in Jeddah entering the new season with major silverware to defend. Local rivals Al Ahli made history in May by winning the AFC Champions League Elite and have ambitions to replicate their continental triumph on the domestic scene. Matthias Jaissle's side have already made a statement by winning the Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong, and the German manager is confident his team will carry the 'momentum' from their recent success into the new campaign. Jaissle said: 'It was a historical moment to win the AFC trophy. It creates confidence but also raises expectations. We want to take that momentum in a positive way by carrying these good memories and this confidence into the new season. There will be new challenges waiting this whole season, but we are confident.' Entering his third year at Al Ahli, Jaissle is the longest-serving manager in the RSL, and he is hoping to use his experience to his team's advantage as they aim to end a 10-year wait for the league title. Jaissle added: 'You get used to the different opponents, the teams with their players. That's a learning curve you can definitely use for your advantage. You also learn with different circumstances how to handle, for example, the heat with different conditions, and the tight schedule; playing every three days, that was a big lesson for us and showing that consistency will be important for the new season. That's a challenge, but after these two years, there are many aspects which you can learn from and take that into the new season.' Al Ahli finished fifth in the RSL last season but there are many reasons to believe they will be genuine title contenders. As well as securing two trophies in the last three months, their impressive squad has been further strengthened by the arrival of talented French midfielder Enzo Millot - a player Jaissle described as 'high quality' and a 'really important signing'. While having full confidence in his team's ability to hit greater heights this season, Jaissle believes this will be the toughest season to date as the RSL continues to go from strength to strength. Al Ahli will get an immediate reminder of the league's depth when they face ambitious promoted side Neom in their opening game on Thursday. On Al Ahli's biggest title rivals this season, Jaissle said: 'In the last two years we saw Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Nassr, and now Al Qadsiah; they showed last season that they are already there in the top group. I'm sure Neom will challenge as well, with their signings and their power in the background. 'That shows that there will be big competition, and the league will be much more competitive compared to a few years ago. This is really important and really nice to see. That's the vision I'm convinced the Saudis want to have. We're looking forward to a tough season. Overall, I think the league is progressing really well. There's clearly development and that the league is improving.' Inzaghi 'hopes to bring big trophies' to Al Hilal The two Jeddah giants will no doubt face stern competition from their rivals in the capital, with Al Hilal aiming to bounce back from a rare trophyless season. Leading a new era for Saudi Arabia's most decorated club is new manager Simone Inzaghi - one of the most coveted coaches in Europe following an exemplary four years with Inter Milan in Italy. Inzaghi has already made an impact with his new club by guiding Al Hilal to the quarter-finals of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup this summer, a run that included a famous victory over English Premier League club Manchester City. The task for Inzaghi and his players is to use their Club World Cup experience as a springboard for domestic and continental success this season, starting with their first game at home against Al Riyadh on Friday. The Italian said: 'The Club World Cup was a very positive experience, and it definitely has to serve as motivation. We know that last year Al Hilal's season didn't go as expected because no titles were won. The hope is to do good teamwork, to entertain our fans, and to try to bring trophies to this club.' Inzaghi's excellent work at Inter Milan - which included the 2023-24 Serie A title, two Coppa Italias, and reaching two UEFA Champions League finals - made him one of the most highly-regarded managers in world football. Al Hilal moved quickly to appoint him, ensuring the RSL is home to another world-class coach. On why he chose Al Hilal as his next move, Inzaghi said: 'I was convinced by Al Hilal because it is a huge club, and the management made me feel very appreciated here, and I really wanted to be part of it. They strongly convinced me, and I came here with a great desire to do this. We had a fantastic Club World Cup, and now we are preparing to start the league in the best possible way.' With world-class managers on the touchline, star players on the pitch, and fans ready to fill the stadiums once again, the stage is set for the 2025-26 RSL season to be the most competitive and captivating in history.
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