Where to watch Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun live stream, TV channel, lineups, betting odds for Saudi Pro League match

Just one match into the 2023/24 Saudi Pro League campaign, Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr are already playing catch-up in the title race as they take on Al Taawoun in their home opener.

Al Nassr were punished for resting key players as they fell on the road at Al Ettifaq 2-1 in their season opener, scoring early through a Sadio Mane league debut goal, only to cough it up in the end.

Mane was the only star who played in that match, with Cristiano Ronaldo and others all rested after playing in the Arab Club Champions Cup 48 hours before. Next they welcome Al Taawoun who themselves are no slouches, having finished fifth in last year's league table, only four points behind a powerful Al Hilal side, who came in third. Al Taawoun tied 1-1 at Al Fateh on the opening weekend.

Al Nassr's stars are expected to return here, and they'll need to deliver as the margin for error has already begun to shrink just one week in after rivals Al Ittihad and Al Hilal got off to winning starts.

Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun live stream, TV channel

What time does Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun start?

This Saudi Pro League match at King Saud University kicks off on Friday, August 18 at 9 p.m. local time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun lineups, team news

Al Nassr fell to defeat in their opening match, and it came as most of their superstar lineup was rested. Following a grueling Arab Club Champions Cup tournament, where the new signings played most of the way, only Sadio Mane was deployed against Al Ettifaq to begin the league campaign. It was a risky call by manager Luis Castro, and it backfired.

In this match, expect the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo Brozovic, Alex Telles, Anderson Talisca, and Seko Fofana to rejoin a full-strength lineup.

Al Nassr projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Alaqidi (GK) — Ghannam, Lajami, Amri, Telles — Fofana, Brozovic, Alkhaibari — Talisca, Ronaldo, Mane.

As they are not a PIF-backed club, Al Taawoun didn't benefit from the heavy investment from the Saudi government in this crazy summer transfer window, only adding Brazilian centre-back Andrei Girotto thus far, plus a loan for Brazilian midfielder Flavio from Trabzonspor. Those two players have slid straight into Brazilian manager Pericles Chamusca's starting lineup 

Al Taawoun projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Mailson (GK) — Al Ghamdi, Girotto, Kadesh, Faqeehi — Flavio, Mahdioui, Medran — Mateus, Kana, Bahusayn.

Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun betting odds

Al Nassr are the favoured team in what is projected to be a high-scoring game, with the betting market liking the over 2.5 total goals line.

The spread (handicap) is also set at +/-1.5 (instead of the tighter +/- 0.5) as a sign of just how powerful this Al Nassr attack is expected to be with all the starters back into the lineup.