The main highlight of the 15th round of the UAE Pro League is the Dubai derby between Al-Nasr and Al-Wasl. The match kicks off today and will be held over three days. This encounter will draw more attention than the other match between Al-Ahli (Sharjah) and Shabab Al-Ahli, as the 'King' (Al-Ahli) is effectively out of the title race. The derby between neighbours will be the most popular and exciting. The match, hosted at Al-Maktoum Stadium at 17:25, takes on added importance. Both teams enter the match at full strength, and this crucial moment could impact their league positions and their hopes for victory or qualification for international competitions. The tension increases as the teams seek to break their historical partnership. In their previous 33 encounters, there has been a notable balance, with each team winning 13 times and 7 draws. Al-Nasr has scored 51 goals to Al-Wasl's 46. Fabio Lima is the top scorer in this fixture with 8 goals. Al-Nasr sits in 6th place with 19 points and cannot afford to drop points, as a win is essential to keep their hopes of participating in international tournaments alive. This season, the 'Elders' have not delivered the expected performance, despite continuous administrative support from Serbian coach Slavisa Jokanovic. Their latest setback was a surprising home loss to Bani Yas. Al-Wasl, however, clings to their chances in the race, despite being 10 points behind the leader, Shabab Al-Ahli. The 'Emperor' is in 4th place with 25 points, having been affected by inconsistent results in recent rounds, including a draw with Al-Qadsia and an unexpected home loss to Khorfakkan. Al-Wahda vs Al-Bataih. New Slovenian coach Al-Wahda, Darko Milanic, will begin his tenure with 'An-Nabi' against Al-Bataih at Al-Nayan Stadium at 17:25. This is a match that brooks no half-measures, following a shocking exit from the President's Cup quarter-final against a First Division team, 'United', which accelerated the departure of Portuguese coach Dimas Teixeira. Al-Wahda is in 3rd place with 29 points, six points behind the leader Shabab Al-Ahli, and realizes that any result other than a win could put the team in complex calculations as the league approaches its decisive stages. Al-Wahda will be without the duo of Facundo Daniel and Favour Ogbo, who were sent off in the match against Al-Ain in the 'Abu Dhabi Classic', presenting Milanic with an early test to find suitable solutions. Al-Bataih, sitting in 12th place with 11 points, aims to continue their positive run, having avoided defeat in the last two rounds with 1-1 draws against Bani Yas and Al-Jazira. Sharjah vs Shabab Al-Ahli. Sharjah will host Shabab Al-Ahli at 20:00. The motivations in this match differ, despite the strength and history. The 'King' (Al-Ahli) is playing this match outside of title calculations, while the 'Knights of Dubai' seek to solidify their lead in the league. Sharjah is in 7th place with 17 points and hopes to close in on the top four, but will be without the experienced defender Shahin Abdulrahman due to suspension for accumulating yellow cards. Shabab Al-Ahli enters the match as the leader with 35 points, aiming to maintain their top spot and avenge their loss in the Super Cup. This is the 54th meeting between the teams in the professional era across various competitions. Sharjah has won only 8 times compared to Shabab Al-Ahli's 26 victories and 19 draws. In their 31 league meetings, the 'King' has won 6 times, the 'Knights of Dubai' 16 times, with 9 draws. Notably, the latter has not lost to Sharjah in the last six encounters.
