2011–12 Saudi Professional League
The 2011–12 Saudi Professional League (known as the Zain Professional League for sponsorship reasons) was the 36th season of the Saudi Professional League, the top Saudi professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1976. The season began on 9 September 2011, and ended on 18 April 2012.[4] Al-Hilal were the defending champions.[5] The league was contested by the 12 teams from the 2010–11 season as well as Al-Ansar and Hajer, who joined as the promoted clubs from the 2010–11 First Division. They replace Al-Hazem and Al-Wehda who were relegated to the 2011–12 First Division.
Season | 2011–2012 |
---|---|
Dates | 9 September 2011 – 18 April 2012 |
Champions | Al-Shabab (6th title) |
Relegated | Al-Qadisiyah Al-Ansar |
AFC Champions League | Al-Shabab Al-Ahli Al-Hilal Al-Ettifaq |
UAFA Club Cup | Al-Fateh Al-Nassr |
GCC Champions League | Al-Faisaly Najran |
Matches played | 182 |
Goals scored | 537 (2.95 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Victor Simões Nasser Al-Shamrani (21 goals each) |
Biggest home win | Al-Ittihad 7–0 Hajer (16 December 2011) |
Biggest away win | Al-Qadisiyah 0–8 Al-Ittihad (2 November 2011) |
Highest scoring | Al-Qadisiyah 4–5 Al-Hilal (20 October 2011) |
Longest winning run | 9 games[1] Al-Hilal |
Longest unbeaten run | 26 games[1] Al-Shabab |
Longest winless run | 18 games[1] Al-Ansar |
Longest losing run | 17 games[1] Al-Ansar |
Highest attendance | 22,996[2] Al-Hilal 4–0 Al-Ahli (29 September 2011) |
Lowest attendance | 28[3] Al-Qadisiyah 2–2 Al-Faisaly (30 November 2011) |
Average attendance | 4,374 |
← 2010–11 2012–13 → |
On 14 April, Al-Shabab won their sixth League title on the final matchday after a 1–1 draw away to runners-up Al-Ahli.[6] Al-Shabab ended the season without a single defeat becoming the second team to ever do so in a 26-game league season and the third team overall.
Al-Ansar were the first team to be relegated following a 1–0 home defeat against Al-Raed on 31 March.[7] Al-Qadisiyah became the second and final team to be relegated following a 3–2 defeat away to Al-Nassr on 13 April.[8]
Teams
Fourteen teams competed in the league – the twelve teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the First Division. The promoted teams were Al-Ansar (returning after an absence of six years) and Hajer (returning after an absence of twelve years). They replaced Al-Hazem (ending their six-year top-flight spell) and Al-Wehda (ending their eight-year top-flight spell).
Stadiums and locations
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Al-Ahli | Jeddah | Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium | 25,000[9] |
Al-Ansar | Medina | Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Stadium | 24,000[10] |
Al-Ettifaq | Dammam | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium | 21,701[11] |
Al-Faisaly | Harmah | Prince Salman Sport City Stadium | 5,200[12] |
Al-Fateh | Al-Hasa | Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium | 19,096[13] |
Al-Hilal | Riyadh | King Fahd International Stadium Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium |
62,685[14] 22,500[15] |
Al-Ittihad | Jeddah | Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium | 25,000[9] |
Al-Nassr | Riyadh | King Fahd International Stadium Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium |
62,685[14] 22,500[15] |
Al-Qadisiyah | Khobar | Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium | 11,000[16] |
Al-Raed | Buraidah | King Abdullah Sport City Stadium | 23,600[17] |
Al-Shabab | Riyadh | King Fahd International Stadium Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium |
62,685[14] 22,500[15] |
Al-Taawoun | Buraidah | King Abdullah Sport City Stadium | 23,600[17] |
Hajer | Al-Hasa | Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium | 19,096[13] |
Najran | Najran | Al Akhdoud Club Stadium | 3,200[18] |
Personnel and kits
Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Al-Ahli | Karel Jarolím | Mohammad Massad | Adidas | STC |
Al-Ansar | Jalal Qaderi | Abdoh Besisi | Adidas | |
Al-Ettifaq | Branko Ivanković | Sayaf Al-Bishi | Hattrick | |
Al-Faisaly | Zlatko Dalić | Omar Abdulaziz | Hattrick | |
Al-Fateh | Fathi Al-Jabal | Jaber Hagawi | Lotto | Fuchsia1 |
Al-Hilal | Ivan Hašek | Osama Hawsawi | Adidas | Mobily |
Al-Ittihad | Raúl Caneda | Mohammed Noor | Nike | STC |
Al-Nassr | Francisco Maturana | Hussein Abdulghani | Nike | STC |
Al-Qadisiyah | Mariano Barreto | Ali Al-Shehri | Hattrick | |
Al-Raed | Ammar Souayah | Mohammed Al-Khojali | Hattrick | Al-Remeikhany |
Al-Shabab | Michel Preud'homme | Ahmed Otaif | Adidas | STC |
Al-Taawoun | Khalid Kamal | Ahmed Al-Harbi | Jako | |
Hajer | Ednaldo Patricio | Khaled Al-Rejaib | Hattrick | Al-Ghadeer |
Najran | Gjoko Hadžievski | Jehad Al-Hussain | Hattrick | |
- 1 On the back of the strip.
Managerial changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure |
Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Al-Ansar | Jameel Qassem | End of contract | 18 May 2011[19] | Pre-season | Blaž Slišković | 30 May 2011[20] |
Al-Nassr | Dragan Skočić | Sacked | 26 May 2011[21] | Eurico Gomes (caretaker) | 26 May 2011[21] | |
Al-Qadsiah | Dimitar Dimitrov | End of contract | 1 June 2011 | Mariano Barreto | 12 June 2011[22] | |
Hajer | Zuhair Al-Louati | 1 June 2011 | Ednaldo Patricio | 27 June 2011[23] | ||
Najran | José Rachão | 1 June 2011 | Gjoko Hadžievski | 1 July 2011[24] | ||
Al-Shabab | Enzo Trossero | 12 June 2011 | Michel Preud'homme | 14 June 2011[25] | ||
Al-Hilal | Gabriel Calderon | Sacked | 18 June 2011[26] | Thomas Doll | 20 July 2011[27] | |
Al-Ahli | Aleksandar Ilić | End of contract | 30 June 2011 | Karel Jarolím | 5 August 2011[28] | |
Al-Ettifaq | Youssef Zouaoui | 30 June 2011 | Branko Ivanković | 22 July 2011[29] | ||
Al-Nassr | Eurico Gomes (caretaker) | End of caretaker period | 30 June 2011 | Gustavo Costas | 18 July 2011[30] | |
Al-Raed | Eurico Gomes | Sacked | 17 October 2011[31] | 13th | Hafez Al-Hoarbi (caretaker) | 17 October 2011[31] |
Al-Ansar | Blaž Slišković | 26 October 2011[32] | 14th | Ayoub Ghulam (caretaker) | 26 October 2011[32] | |
Al-Raed | Hafez Al-Hoarbi (caretaker) | End of caretaker period | 28 October 2011 | 13th | Ammar Souayah | 28 October 2011[33] |
Al-Ansar | Ayoub Ghulam (caretaker) | 10 November 2011 | 14th | Jalal Qaderi | 10 November 2011[34] | |
Al-Ittihad | Dimitri Davidovic | Sacked | 28 November 2011[35] | 5th | Abdullah Ghurab (caretaker) | 28 November 2011[35] |
Al-Nassr | Gustavo Costas | 30 November 2011[36] | 6th | Ali Komaikh (caretaker) | 30 November 2011[36] | |
Al-Nassr | Ali Komaikh (caretaker) | End of caretaker period | 4 December 2011 | 6th | Francisco Maturana | 4 December 2011[37] |
Al-Ittihad | Abdullah Ghurab (caretaker) | 16 December 2011 | 6th | Matjaž Kek | 16 December 2011[38] | |
Al-Taawoun | Florin Motroc | Resigned | 29 December 2011[39] | 13th | Srećko Juričić | 30 December 2011[39] |
Al-Taawoun | Srećko Juričić | Sacked | 20 January 2012[40] | 12th | Grigore Sichitiu | 20 January 2012[40] |
Al-Hilal | Thomas Doll | 22 January 2012[41] | 4th | Ivan Hašek | 22 January 2012[42] | |
Al-Ittihad | Matjaž Kek | 8 February 2012[43] | 6th | Abdullah Ghurab (caretaker) | 8 February 2012[43] | |
Al-Ittihad | Abdullah Ghurab (caretaker) | End of caretaker period | 27 February 2012 | 7th | Raúl Caneda | 27 February 2012[44] |
Al-Taawoun | Grigore Sichitiu | Sacked | 2 April 2012[45] | 12th | Khalid Kamal (caretaker) | 2 April 2012[45] |
Foreign players
The number of foreign players is restricted to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries.[46]
Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Al-Shabab (C) | 26 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 50 | 16 | +34 | 64 | Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage[lower-alpha 1] |
2 | Al-Ahli | 26 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 60 | 22 | +38 | 62 | |
3 | Al-Hilal | 26 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 58 | 22 | +36 | 60 | |
4 | Al-Ettifaq | 26 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 41 | 26 | +15 | 47 | |
5 | Al-Ittihad | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 49 | 35 | +14 | 37 | |
6 | Al-Fateh | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 37 | Qualification for the UAFA Club Cup |
7 | Al-Nassr | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 40 | 37 | +3 | 35 | |
8 | Al-Faisaly | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 36 | 41 | −5 | 30 | Qualification for the GCC Champions League |
9 | Najran | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 34 | 49 | −15 | 30 | |
10 | Al-Raed | 26 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 39 | −11 | 28 | |
11 | Hajer | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 23 | 45 | −22 | 25 | |
12 | Al-Taawoun | 26 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 28 | 52 | −24 | 19 | |
13 | Al-Qadisiyah (R) | 26 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 34 | 52 | −18 | 18 | Relegation to the First Division |
14 | Al-Ansar (R) | 26 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 19 | 60 | −41 | 10 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Total goal difference; 3) Total goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only for deciding champion, relegation and AFC competitions participation).
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
- Since the winners of the King Cup of Champions, Al-Ahli, qualified for the Champions League, the spot given to the King Cup of Champions winners (Champions League group stage) was passed to the fourth-placed team.
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers
Rank | Player | Club | Goals[47] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Victor Simões | Al-Ahli | 21 |
Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Shabab | ||
3 | Amad Al Hosni | Al-Ahli | 15 |
Mohammad Al-Sahlawi | Al-Nassr | ||
5 | Bader Al-Kharashi | Al-Faisaly | 12 |
Hadj Bouguèche | Al-Qadsiah / Al-Nassr | ||
Youssef El-Arabi | Al-Hilal | ||
8 | Yousef Al-Salem | Al-Ettifaq | 11 |
9 | Doris Fuakumputu | Al-Fateh | 10 |
10 | Taisir Al-Jassim | Al-Ahli | 9 |
Jehad Al-Hussain | Najran | ||
Wendel Geraldo | Al-Ittihad / Al-Shabab | ||
Hamdan Al-Hamdan | Al-Fateh | ||
Sebastián Tagliabué | Al-Ettifaq |
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Result | Date | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hadj Bouguèche | Al-Qadsiah | Al-Fateh | 6–1 (A) | 14 October 2011 | [48] |
Victor Simões | Al-Ahli | Al-Taawoun | 4–2 (H) | 15 October 2011 | [49] |
Youssef El-Arabi | Al-Hilal | Al-Qadsiah | 5–4 (A) | 20 October 2011 | [50] |
Wendel Geraldo | Al-Ittihad | Al-Qadsiah | 8–0 (A) | 2 November 2011 | [51] |
Victor Simões | Al-Ahli | Al-Ansar | 5–1 (H) | 29 December 2011 | [52] |
Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Shabab | Al-Ansar | 3–0 (H) | 8 April 2012 | [53] |
- Notes
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team
Most assists
Rank | Player | Club | Assists[54] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Marcelo Camacho | Al-Ahli | 12 |
2 | Wendel Geraldo | Al-Ittihad / Al-Shabab | 9 |
3 | Mohammad Al-Shalhoub | Al-Hilal | 8 |
Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Shabab | ||
5 | Hamed Al-Hamed | Al-Ettifaq | 7 |
Khaled Al-Zylaeei | Al-Nassr | ||
7 | Ahmed Al-Harbi | Al-Taawoun | 6 |
Paulo Jorge | Al-Ittihad | ||
Taisir Al-Jassim | Al-Ahli | ||
Hussein Abdulghani | Al-Nassr | ||
Rabee Sufyani | Al-Fateh | ||
Victor Simões | Al-Ahli | ||
Wael Ayan | Al-Faisaly | ||
Yahya Al-Shehri | Al-Ettifaq |
Clean sheets
Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets[55] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Yasser Al-Mosailem | Al-Ahli | 13 |
Waleed Abdullah | Al-Shabab | ||
3 | Fayz Al-Sabiay | Al-Ettifaq | 11 |
4 | Khalid Sharahili | Al-Hilal | 7 |
5 | Hassan Al-Otaibi | Al-Hilal | 6 |
6 | Mohammed Al-Khojali | Al-Raed | 5 |
Mohammad Sharifi | Al-Fateh | ||
8 | Ali Al-Mazidi | Al-Ittihad | 4 |
Abdullah Al-Enezi | Al-Nassr | ||
Mustafa Malayekah | Hajer |
Player
- Most yellow cards: 10[56]
- Mishaal Al-Saeed (Al-Ittihad)
- Most red cards: 2[56]
- Abdoh Hakami (Al-Raed)
- Bandar Musaad (Najran)
Attendances
By team
Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Al-Ahli | 143,486 | 17,200 | 4,110 | 11,037 | +46.7% |
2 | Al-Hilal | 97,112 | 22,996 | 352 | 7,470 | −14.5% |
3 | Al-Raed | 92,903 | 22,523 | 1,831 | 7,146 | +4.0% |
4 | Al-Ittihad | 91,318 | 16,195 | 2,620 | 7,024 | −6.9% |
5 | Al-Taawoun | 90,672 | 19,658 | 2,058 | 6,975 | +4.2% |
6 | Al-Ansar | 56,669 | 18,400 | 33 | 4,359 | n/a † |
7 | Al-Nassr | 53,748 | 17,945 | 588 | 4,134 | −35.1% |
8 | Al-Ettifaq | 52,653 | 18,016 | 203 | 4,050 | −7.8% |
9 | Al-Shabab | 35,248 | 8,123 | 725 | 2,711 | +56.8% |
10 | Al-Qadisiyah | 19,026 | 6,711 | 28 | 1,464 | −28.2% |
11 | Al-Fateh | 18,584 | 4,672 | 164 | 1,430 | −31.5% |
12 | Hajer | 17,921 | 4,225 | 247 | 1,379 | n/a † |
13 | Al-Faisaly | 15,657 | 3,223 | 395 | 1,204 | −8.9% |
14 | Najran | 11,161 | 2,330 | 271 | 859 | −17.7% |
League total | 796,158 | 22,996 | 28 | 4,374 | +4.0% |
Updated to games played on 18 April 2012
Source: [59][60][61]
Notes:
† Teams played previous season in First Division.
References
- "All Statistics :: Teams". Archived from the original on 22 March 2016.
- "Al Hilal - Al Ahli". Archived from the original on 14 March 2016.
- "Al Qadisiyah - Al Faisaly". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
- "Fixtures & Results". Archived from the original on 27 September 2017.
- "الهلال بطل دوري زين للمحترفين والاتفاق يرمي بالنصر الى المركز الخامس".
- "الشباب بطلاً لدوري زين".
- "لرائد يكتب صك هبوط الانصار".
- "القادسية يلحق بالأنصار إلى دوري الأولى".
- "استاد الأمير عبدالله الفيصل".
- "ملعب مدينة الأمير محمد بن عبدالعزيز الرياضية". Archived from the original on 2016-04-11.
- "استاد الأمير محمد بن فهد". Archived from the original on 2016-04-07.
- "ملعب مدينة الملك سلمان بن عبدالعزيز الرياضية". Archived from the original on 2016-04-07.
- "ملعب مدينة الأمير عبدالله بن جلوي الرياضية". Archived from the original on 2016-04-10.
- "استاد الملك فهد الدولي". Archived from the original on 2016-03-23.
- "استاد الأمير فيصل بن فهد". Archived from the original on 2016-04-10.
- "ملعب مدينة الأمير سعود بن جلوي الرياضية". Archived from the original on 2016-04-11.
- "استاد مدينة الملك عبدالله الرياضية". Archived from the original on 2016-04-07.
- "ملعب نادي الأخدود". Archived from the original on 2016-04-07.
- "الأنصار يقيل مدربه ويعير عبدالقادر للاتحاد" (in Arabic).
- "البوسني بلاز يدرب الأنصار ب 800 ألف ريال" (in Arabic).
- "النصر يقيل دراغان.. ويعين مدرب الرائد".
- "القادسية ينهي صفقة المدرب ماريتو غدا".
- "البرازيلي بارتسيو يدرب هجر".
- "جوكيكا يقود تدريبات نجران غدا.. وكويتي يدخل اهتمامات الإدارة".
- "البلجيكي بودروم مدرباً للشباب ثلاثة أعوام".
- "اعفاء كالديرون وتكليف الجابر بتدريب الهلال".
- "الالماني توماس يوقع عقده لتدريب بطل الدوري والكأس لمدة عامين".
- "الأهلي يتعاقد مع المدرب جاروليم رسميًا" (in Arabic).
- "لكرواتي برانكو مدرباً للاتفاق".
- "رسميا .. الأرجنتيني جوستافو كوستاس مدربا للنصر".
- "التونسي حافظ الهواربي يقود تدريبات الفريق الأول بحضور رئيس المكتب التنفيذي الأستاذ عبدالعزيز التويجري".
- "الأنصار يستغني عن المدرب والأجانب.. والبديل غلام" (in Arabic).
- "تأكيداً لتميز (دنيا الرياضة) الرائد يعلن رسمياً عن تعاقده مع السويح".
- "التونسي جلال القادري مدرباً للانصار" (in Arabic).
- "الإتحاد يقيل ديمتري ويعين غراب مدربا للفريق".
- "إدارة النصر تقيل المدرب "خوستافو"".
- "ماتورانا مدرب النصر الجديد.. والحارثي يختفي".
- "السلوفيني ماتياس كيك مدربا للاتحاد.. رسميا".
- "الكرواتي يوري مدرباً للتعاون".
- "في أسرع قرار إقالة.. التعاون يفك الارتباط مع الكرواتي سترشكو".
- "إدارة الهلال تقيل الألماني توماس دول".
- "الهلال يقيل توماس دول رسميا ويتعاقد مع التشيكي إيفان هاسيك".
- "الرائد يطيح بكيك.. والتشيكي فانيس وشحاته على طاولة الاختيار".
- "الاتحاد يتجاوز الأزمة.. ويوقع رسمياً مع كانيدا".
- "خماسية النصر تطيح بمدرب التعاون".
- "عدد اللاعبين الأجانب". Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
- "أكثر اللاعبين تسجيلاً للأهداف" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
- "الفتح 1 - 6 القادسية" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
- "الأهلي 4 - 2 التعاون" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.
- "القادسية 4 - 5 الهلال" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.
- "القادسية 0 - 8 الاتحاد" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.
- "الأهلي 5 - 1 الأنصار" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
- "الشباب 3 - 0 الأنصار" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.
- "أكثر اللاعبين صناعة للأهداف" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
- "أكثر الحراس محافظة على شباكه" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
- "عدد الكروت الملونة التي أبرزت". Archived from the original on 8 May 2016.
- "أكثر فريق حصل على كروت صفراء". Archived from the original on 9 May 2016.
- "أكثر فريق حصل على كروت حمراء". Archived from the original on 8 May 2016.
- "أكثر فريق معدل حضور جماهيري على أرضه". Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- "أكثر فريق حضور جماهيري على أرضه". Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- "أكثر مباراة في عدد الجمهور". Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2020.