Al Ittihad vs Al Hilal Prediction: No worries for Blue Waves in Jeddah

Al Ittihad host Al Hilal in the semi-finals of the King’s Cup on Tuesday (KO, 19:00), with the winner going on to face either Al Nassr or Al Khaleej in the final on May 31.

Read below for my Al Ittihad vs Al Hilal prediction, where you can also find all the latest team news and match odds heading into this crunch clash at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

These are two of the great names of Saudi football, but Al Hilal have dominated their recent rivalry, winning all six meetings this season, including triumphing 4-1 when the pair met in this month’s Super Cup.

Brazilian winger Malcom scored twice in that match, as well as in his side’s 2-0 Asian Champions League quarter-final second-leg victory, but misses this game, as does Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Al Ittihad have struggled in recent months, losing 3-1 to Al-Shabab last Friday, but it was a different story for Al Hilal, who beat Al Fateh 3-1.

With the Super Cup already sealed and two trophies still to play for, another win for the defending champions looks likely.

Team News

Al Ittihad’s Fabinho, Luiz Felipe, N’Golo Kante, and Sultan Al-Farhan are all doubts, while Karim Benzema continues to be sidelined with a muscle injury.

Mitrovic is expected to miss out for Al Hilal with a muscle problem of his own, while no timeline has been revealed for Malcom’s recovery from a foot issue.

The Brazilian being unavailable is particularly frustrating due to the long-term absence of compatriot Neymar, who is out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Match Odds

Al Hilal are 4/11 to make it seven wins in a row against Al Ittihad, who are 11/2, with the draw in 90 minutes available at 18/5.

The visitors won both legs of their AFC Champions League tie 2-0, and a repeat of that scoreline in their favour is available at 13/2.

However, those outcomes are almost outliers, with the other four of this season’s six meetings featuring over 3.5 goals and that is priced up at 5/4.

Al Hilal to win & both teams to score @ 13/8

Al Hilal have dominated this rivalry during 2023/24, winning all six meetings and they could be set for a special end to the season.

Neymar’s injury in January threatened to derail their campaign but the Blue Waves adapted and coach Jorge Jesus deserves real praise for the way he has harnessed the remaining talent available to him.

Al Ittihad have arguably as strong a squad but injuries have hit them at the worst time and their campaign appears to be petering out.

Friday’s defeat to Al Shabab left them fifth in the table with just five games to go and, although only appointed in November, his side’s 30-point deficit to their great rivals in the standings could lead to end-of-season repercussions for boss Marcelo Gallardo.

The King’s Cup offers the opportunity to salvage something and despite their high-profile absentees, they still carry a threat through players like Romarinho, who has provided 11 goal contributions this season.

The added jeopardy of a cup semi-final, especially on home turf in Jeddah, means The Nation’s Club could be good for a goal, but Al Hilal’s frightening form makes them the rightful favourites.

The Riyadh outfit’s AFC Champions League defeat to Al Ain on April 17 is their only reverse in 90 minutes this season and they should record another win against Al Ittihad, with 3-1 a potential scoreline to look for at 17/2.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.