Sergej Milinković-Savić dials up pressure on Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Al Hilal vs Al-Nas

Who, what, when and why it matters: Al Hilal midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić described the upcoming Saudi Pro League meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr as a "league final" after his side beat Al Khaleej and closed the gap to two points with three SPL games remaining. The exchange ramps up tension ahead of a potentially title-deciding Derby of Champions at Al Awwal Park and comes with both clubs also facing important fixtures in cup and continental competition.

Milinković-Savić turns up the heat after Al Hilal comeback

Milinković-Savić spoke to Thmanyah Sports after Al Hilal’s 2-1 comeback victory over Al Khaleej in which he scored to level the game before Sultan Mandash completed the turnaround. He described the match as difficult and underlined the team’s focus on closing the gap to Al Nassr.

When asked about the significance of the looming meeting with Al Nassr, the Serbian midfielder said the team is taking things "game by game," prioritising the King’s Cup final against Al Kholood first and describing the subsequent fixture with Al Nassr as the 'final' for the league. Those comments were published in the World Soccer Talk report quoting his interview with Thmanyah Sports.

Where the title race stands and upcoming fixtures

According to the source, Al Nassr top the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League with 79 points from 31 games while Al Hilal sit on 77 points from the same number of matches. The head-to-head between the clubs is scheduled for May 13 at Al Awwal Park. Al Nassr have other commitments including an AFC Champions League Two final against Gamba Osaka on May 16 and a league trip to Al Shabab on May 7, per the same report.

• Al Hilal beat Al Khaleej 2-1; goals included Milinković-Savić (34') and Sultan Mandash (79'), with Al Khaleej’s Joshua King scoring in the 11th minute (source).
• Milinković-Savić said Al Hilal are taking fixtures 'game by game' and prioritising the King’s Cup final against Al Kholood on May 9 (source).
• Al Nassr were reported to have lost to Al Qadsiah and saw their winning run end with three league games remaining; Al Nassr were reported as leading the SPL with 79 points to Al Hilal's 77 (source).
• Derby of Champions: Al Hilal vs Al Nassr is scheduled at Al Awwal Park on May 13; final league day fixtures cited for May 21 (source).

Context: cup final and continental commitments

The World Soccer Talk piece notes Al Hilal have the King’s Cup final against Al Kholood on May 9 — a chance at silverware before the derby — while Al Nassr have continental business in the AFC Champions League Two final on May 16. Those overlapping high-stakes fixtures give both clubs little margin for error in the run-in.

What happens next

With three league games to go, the May 13 clash carries the potential to decide the SPL title if Al Nassr win. If not, the championship could be settled on the final matchday on May 21 when Al Nassr host Damac and Al Hilal travel to Al Fayha, according to the reported schedule in the source. The immediate next fixtures for both clubs — Al Nassr at Al Shabab and Al Hilal in the King’s Cup final — will shape momentum heading into the Derby of Champions.