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
![](../I/Saudi_Arabia_location_map.svg.png.webp)
- 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 | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas | STC |
Al-Ansar | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas | |
Al-Ettifaq | ![]() |
![]() |
Hattrick | |
Al-Faisaly | ![]() |
![]() |
Hattrick | |
Al-Fateh | ![]() |
![]() |
Lotto | Fuchsia1 |
Al-Hilal | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas | Mobily |
Al-Ittihad | ![]() |
![]() |
Nike | STC |
Al-Nassr | ![]() |
![]() |
Nike | STC |
Al-Qadisiyah | ![]() |
![]() |
Hattrick | |
Al-Raed | ![]() |
![]() |
Hattrick | Al-Remeikhany |
Al-Shabab | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas | STC |
Al-Taawoun | ![]() |
![]() |
Jako | |
Hajer | ![]() |
![]() |
Hattrick | Al-Ghadeer |
Najran | ![]() |
![]() |
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 | ![]() |
End of contract | 18 May 2011[19] | Pre-season | ![]() |
30 May 2011[20] |
Al-Nassr | ![]() |
Sacked | 26 May 2011[21] | ![]() |
26 May 2011[21] | |
Al-Qadsiah | ![]() |
End of contract | 1 June 2011 | ![]() |
12 June 2011[22] | |
Hajer | ![]() |
1 June 2011 | ![]() |
27 June 2011[23] | ||
Najran | ![]() |
1 June 2011 | ![]() |
1 July 2011[24] | ||
Al-Shabab | ![]() |
12 June 2011 | ![]() |
14 June 2011[25] | ||
Al-Hilal | ![]() |
Sacked | 18 June 2011[26] | ![]() |
20 July 2011[27] | |
Al-Ahli | ![]() |
End of contract | 30 June 2011 | ![]() |
5 August 2011[28] | |
Al-Ettifaq | ![]() |
30 June 2011 | ![]() |
22 July 2011[29] | ||
Al-Nassr | ![]() |
End of caretaker period | 30 June 2011 | ![]() |
18 July 2011[30] | |
Al-Raed | ![]() |
Sacked | 17 October 2011[31] | 13th | ![]() |
17 October 2011[31] |
Al-Ansar | ![]() |
26 October 2011[32] | 14th | ![]() |
26 October 2011[32] | |
Al-Raed | ![]() |
End of caretaker period | 28 October 2011 | 13th | ![]() |
28 October 2011[33] |
Al-Ansar | ![]() |
10 November 2011 | 14th | ![]() |
10 November 2011[34] | |
Al-Ittihad | ![]() |
Sacked | 28 November 2011[35] | 5th | ![]() |
28 November 2011[35] |
Al-Nassr | ![]() |
30 November 2011[36] | 6th | ![]() |
30 November 2011[36] | |
Al-Nassr | ![]() |
End of caretaker period | 4 December 2011 | 6th | ![]() |
4 December 2011[37] |
Al-Ittihad | ![]() |
16 December 2011 | 6th | ![]() |
16 December 2011[38] | |
Al-Taawoun | ![]() |
Resigned | 29 December 2011[39] | 13th | ![]() |
30 December 2011[39] |
Al-Taawoun | ![]() |
Sacked | 20 January 2012[40] | 12th | ![]() |
20 January 2012[40] |
Al-Hilal | ![]() |
22 January 2012[41] | 4th | ![]() |
22 January 2012[42] | |
Al-Ittihad | ![]() |
8 February 2012[43] | 6th | ![]() |
8 February 2012[43] | |
Al-Ittihad | ![]() |
End of caretaker period | 27 February 2012 | 7th | ![]() |
27 February 2012[44] |
Al-Taawoun | ![]() |
Sacked | 2 April 2012[45] | 12th | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
Al-Ahli | 21 |
![]() |
Al-Shabab | ||
3 | ![]() |
Al-Ahli | 15 |
![]() |
Al-Nassr | ||
5 | ![]() |
Al-Faisaly | 12 |
![]() |
Al-Qadsiah / Al-Nassr | ||
![]() |
Al-Hilal | ||
8 | ![]() |
Al-Ettifaq | 11 |
9 | ![]() |
Al-Fateh | 10 |
10 | ![]() |
Al-Ahli | 9 |
![]() |
Najran | ||
![]() |
Al-Ittihad / Al-Shabab | ||
![]() |
Al-Fateh | ||
![]() |
Al-Ettifaq |
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Result | Date | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Al-Qadsiah | Al-Fateh | 6–1 (A) | 14 October 2011 | [48] |
![]() | Al-Ahli | Al-Taawoun | 4–2 (H) | 15 October 2011 | [49] |
![]() | Al-Hilal | Al-Qadsiah | 5–4 (A) | 20 October 2011 | [50] |
![]() | Al-Ittihad | Al-Qadsiah | 8–0 (A) | 2 November 2011 | [51] |
![]() | Al-Ahli | Al-Ansar | 5–1 (H) | 29 December 2011 | [52] |
![]() | 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 | ![]() |
Al-Ahli | 12 |
2 | ![]() |
Al-Ittihad / Al-Shabab | 9 |
3 | ![]() |
Al-Hilal | 8 |
![]() |
Al-Shabab | ||
5 | ![]() |
Al-Ettifaq | 7 |
![]() |
Al-Nassr | ||
7 | ![]() |
Al-Taawoun | 6 |
![]() |
Al-Ittihad | ||
![]() |
Al-Ahli | ||
![]() |
Al-Nassr | ||
![]() |
Al-Fateh | ||
![]() |
Al-Ahli | ||
![]() |
Al-Faisaly | ||
![]() |
Al-Ettifaq |
Clean sheets
Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets[55] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Al-Ahli | 13 |
![]() |
Al-Shabab | ||
3 | ![]() |
Al-Ettifaq | 11 |
4 | ![]() |
Al-Hilal | 7 |
5 | ![]() |
Al-Hilal | 6 |
6 | ![]() |
Al-Raed | 5 |
![]() |
Al-Fateh | ||
8 | ![]() |
Al-Ittihad | 4 |
![]() |
Al-Nassr | ||
![]() |
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.
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