0-2! Al Hilal Suffer Shock Defeat, Saudi Pro League's €70 Million Record Signing Has 0 Goals and 0 Assists in 2 Games, Arsenal Benefit

On September 8 Beijing time, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr received a boost in the title race. After Al Nassr lost 1-2 to Al Ittihad, their biggest rival Al Hilal also suffered defeat. In the match against NEOM SC, Al Hilal conceded two goals in the first half and could not change the score after the break, losing three points. 0-2! Al Hilal suffered a shock defeat, while Saudi Arabia's €70 million record signing had 0 goals and 0 assists in two games, benefiting Arsenal.

Al Hilal's squad value is €190 million, the highest in the Saudi Pro League, and they have the most impressive squad on paper. NEOM SC's squad value of €82.5 million is lower than Al Hilal's. However, market value cannot fully represent a team's strength. Al Hilal created only one clear chance in the match, while NEOM SC had three. The better-performing team won, with Kalidou Koulibaly scoring an own goal in the first half and Kone adding another goal for NEOM SC.

At present, with one more match played than their rivals, Al Hilal lead the Saudi Pro League table with five wins, one defeat, and 15 points. Al Nassr and Al Khaleej each have four wins, one defeat, and 12 points, ranking second and third. Supported strongly by the Saudi royal family, Al Hilal signed three forwards from the Premier League this summer: Arsenal's Martinelli for a €70 million transfer fee, West Ham United's Summerville for €64.5 million, and Aston Villa's Watkins for €58.4 million.

Martinelli was the most expensive Saudi Pro League signing of this summer window. Al Hilal built a Premier League-style attacking trio, while Ronaldo's Al Nassr spent a total of €22 million this summer, highlighting the difference in investment between the two clubs.

Unfortunately, Martinelli has yet to prove himself in the Saudi Pro League. Against NEOM SC, Martinelli started and was substituted after 84 minutes. He recorded four shots with one on target, zero successful dribbles, and zero key passes, receiving a rating of only 6.6 and failing to deliver a dominant performance. In the previous match between Al Hilal and Al Shabab, Martinelli came on as a substitute for 22 minutes, recording zero shots on target, zero dribbles, and zero key passes, with a rating of 6.3.

Martinelli scored only one goal and provided four assists in the Premier League last season, with a market value of €40 million according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal appear to have made a profitable deal by selling Martinelli to the Saudi Pro League for a premium fee. Arsenal's €40 million signing Tzolis has already provided three assists after joining the club, and his performances have been stronger than Martinelli's so far, making him a cost-effective addition. Al Hilal viewed Martinelli as a major signing, but his performances so far have not met expectations.