Sports · Football · 12 hrs ago
Wijnaldum returns to face former club Al Ettifaq with Al Ittihad
Georginio Wijnaldum returns to Dammam on Tuesday to play Al Ettifaq, his former club, for the first time as an opponent.
The Dutch midfielder joined Al Ittihad after three seasons at Al Ettifaq, where he was captain and a key player.
In his final two league seasons there, he scored 30 goals and made 10 assists in 67 games.
The match is part of round ten of the Saudi Pro League, and both teams are chasing important points early in the season.
Al Ittihad are fifth with 17 points from eight matches, while Al Ettifaq are seventh with 15.
Al Ettifaq’s coach says forward Moussa Dembélé is available, but Álvaro Medrán is not ready; no match result is yet known.
Georginio Wijnaldum is set to face Al Ettifaq for the first time as an opposing player after joining Al Ittihad on deadline day.
The Saudi Pro League match is scheduled for Tuesday in Dammam.
Wijnaldum spent three seasons with Al Ettifaq, where he was captain and scored 30 league goals across his final two seasons.
Al Ittihad are fifth with 17 points from eight matches, while Al Ettifaq are seventh with 15 points.
Al Ettifaq coach Arthur Papas said his team would aim to win and called for strong support from home fans.
- Who
- Al Ittihad and Al Ettifaq, including former Al Ettifaq captain Georginio Wijnaldum, who now plays for Al Ittihad.
- What
- The teams are due to meet in the Saudi Pro League.
- When
- Tuesday, in the 10th round of the league.
- Where
- Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- The match is part of the Saudi Pro League season; both teams are seeking points to improve their league positions.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Al Ettifaq beat Neom away in Tabuk.
Al Ittihad arrived in Dammam from Jeddah and trained at Al Ettifaq’s reserve ground.
Al Ittihad are scheduled to play Al Ettifaq in Dammam in the 10th round of the Saudi Pro League.
- Wijnaldum’s former club
- Al Ettifaq
- Wijnaldum’s new club
- Al Ittihad
- Al Ettifaq tenure
- Three seasons
- Wijnaldum’s league goals
- 30 in his final two Al Ettifaq seasons
- Al Ittihad position
- Fifth, with 17 points from eight matches
- Al Ettifaq position
- Seventh, with 15 points
4 sources
What people are saying
Our players play with a fighting spirit on the field, and winning a number of matches in the final quarter of an hour is proof that our team fights until the end.
I want to send them one message, which is that we should be one team as coaching staff, management, players and fans, and we want to see them in large numbers for the Al Ittihad match.
He was looking to play regular football; he wanted to smile again; he wanted to feel an important part of the team.
The best thing for me is that my teammates respect me as a captain and accept me as a captain.
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🎙️ | آرثر باباس مدرب الاتفاق في المؤتمر الصحافي قبل مواجهة الاتحاد: - متحمس للمباراة، وفوزنا في آخر 15 دقيقة دليل قتالية فريقنا حتى النهاية #الدوري_السعودي_للمحترفين
🎙️ | آرثر باباس مدرب #الاتفاق في رده على سؤال الشرق الأوسط حول جاهزية اللاعب الإسباني الفارو ميدران: - ميدران لن يشارك .. ومنذ اليوم الأول عملت على صناعة فريق وليس أفراد #الاتفاق_الاتحاد | #الدوري_السعودي_للمحترفين