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PSG vs. Al Nassr, Al Hilal All-Stars live score, updates, highlights from Riyadh friendly as Ronaldo brace cancels Messi goal

Delbert Williams IIBy No Comments21 Mins Read

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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will likely match up for the final time as PSG travel to Saudi Arabia to take on the Riyadh All-Stars in a friendly match in the Middle Eastern nation’s capital.

The friendly is part of the state-sponsored Saudi festival known as Riyadh Seasons. It was originally scheduled for PSG’s January break last year, but had to be postponed due to COVID-19 delays, pushing it into the middle of the fixture congestion brought on by the World Cup.

The game comes at an awkward time for all involved. Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to make his Al Nassr debut, thanks to a suspension that carried over from his Premier League time, but will captain the Riyadh All-Stars side. Meanwhile, PSG have lost two recent games in Ligue 1 play to see their formerly comfortable lead atop the French top flight table shrink to just three points.

This match is little more than a showcase event between two star-studded squads featuring two iconic players, but the two teams will hope that a good performance can springboard them further into the season’s competitive matches.

MORE: Get a closer look at the odds for this match between PSG and Riyadh All-Stars

The Sporting News will be following the match live and providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

PSG vs. Riyadh All-Stars live score

  1H 2H Score
PSG 2 2 4
Riyadh 2 1 3

Goals:
3rd min — PSG — Lionel Messi
34th min — RIY — Cristiano Ronaldo (pen)
43rd min — PSG — Marquinhos
45+5 min — RIY — Cristiano Ronaldo
54th min — PSG — Sergio Ramos
56th min — RIY — Hyun-Soo Jang
60th min — PSG — Kylian Mbappe (pen)

Discipline:
39th min — PSG — Juan Bernat (red)

Confirmed lineups:

PSG (3-4-3, right to left): Navas (GK) — Bitshiabu, Marquinhos (Danilo, 46′), Ramos — Bernat (red, 39′), Sanches (Vitinha, 46′), Soler, Hakimi — Neymar (Zaire-Emery, 63′), Messi (Kari, 63′), Mbappe.

Riyadh (4-3-3, right to left): Al-Owais (GK) — Abdulhamid, Al Bulayhi, Soo Jang, Al Ghanam (Lajami, 46′)  — Al Khaibari, Gustavo, Al Dawsari — P. Martinez (Carrillo, 64′), Ronaldo (Pereira, 61′), Marega (Talisca, 46′).

PSG vs Riyadh All-Stars live updates, highlights, commentary

PSG vs Riyadh All-Stars: Second half

61st min: After an hour of thrilling play, the two sides bring off their superstars before the restart, as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both replaced. Neymar also comes off for PSG, and the match loses a bit of its luster.

60th min: GOAL! PSG! Mbappe does what Neymar could not, and finds the back of the net! PSG lead again! He sends the goalkeeper the wrong way, and finds the go-ahead goal.

58th min: PENALTY, PSG! A ball into the middle of the penalty area for Lionel Messi pings off the Argentine and hits the arm of Ali Al-Boleahi, leading the referee to award PSG a chance to re-take the lead! The action is bang-bang, and there’s clearly no intent, but the defender’s arm is outstretched in an unnatural position, so it’s a fair call. The decision survives a VAR check, and Lionel Messi again concedes to a teammate, as Kylian Mbappe steps up to take the hit…

56th min: GOAL! RIYADH! Back and forth we go, and here’s another centre-back who finds the goal, again off a corner! It’s the South Korean defender Hyun-Soo Jang, who beats Sergio Ramos for a memorable header!

54th min: GOAL! PSG! Kylian Mbappe clowns a defender, and Sergio Ramos is there to put PSG back in front! It’s all created by the French superstar, who cuts back and forth left and right before finding space for the cross. Ramos comes flying in to meet the ball, biding his time before pouncing at the top of the six-yard box. How about two goals from PSG centre-backs today!

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49th min: Lionel Messi nearly causes an issue for Mohammed Al-Owais, who came all the way out of his penalty area to deny a long-distance shot, and it hit his hands! Thankfully for the Riyadh All-Stars goalkeeper Messi is offside, otherwise he would have been sent off!

47th min: Chance, Riyadh! Keylor Navas concedes a super awkward corner trying to marshal the ball out and then at the last second decides to keep it in, and fails. On the set-piece, Hyun-Soo Jang delivers a spectacular header, but Navas is there to deny it. That’s vintage Keylor Navas, there!

Kickoff: Wholesale changes were expected at halftime, but it looks like for now Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe will all stay out there, as does Cristiano Ronaldo, who shows off his cheek bruise from the penalty incident to Mbappe.

It appears that Marquinhos is off, giving the captain’s armband to Mbappe. Talisca comes on for the Riyadh All-Stars.

HALFTIME: PSG 2-2 Riyadh All-Stars

What a delightful 45 minutes that was! This match may be just an exhibition, but that half had just about everything! Lionel Messi opened the scoring, Cristiano Ronaldo answered with a brace, Juan Bernat was sent off, and Neymar had a penalty saved.

Talk about eventful, that 45 minutes of football had everything a fan could ever have asked for from this match. We expect wholesale changes for the second half, but it remains to be seen who will come off when the teams re-take the field.

PSG vs Riyadh All-Stars: First half

45+5 min: GOAL! RIYADH! A brace for Cristiano Ronaldo in his new home, just as halftime nears! He first has a go nodding home a glancing header, but it hits the post. No worry, as he gobbles up the rebound and deposits it from point-blank range with Keylor Navas on the ground.

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45+2 min: PENALTY! PSG! The referee changes his mind after a look at the monitor, and it’s a penalty for PSG! It’s the right call! Ali Al-Boleahi is the one to step in late, and he doesn’t get a touch on the ball. It’s Lionel Messi’s showcase today, but he steps aside for his teammate Neymar who won the foul, and the Brazilian steps up…

SAVED! A long, stuttery run-up from Neymar, and it’s a horrible one! He pokes it to his right, but Mohammed Al-Owais stood his ground and made the extremely easy save!

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45th min: Chance, PSG! Down a man, PSG somehow look better! First, Mohammed Al-Owais denies Kylian Mbappe after being threaded in by Lionel Messi. Then, moments later, Neymar goes down under a heavy challenge in the penalty area. The referee waves it away, but VAR will have a look, and it sure does seem that there’s enough in this to change the call…

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43rd min: GOAL! PSG! Man down? No worries! Kylian Mbappe sends in a cross from a standing position, catching the Riyadh All-Stars napping, and Marquinhos bundles the ball home just before Mohammed Al-Owais can get a touch.

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39th min: RED CARD! PSG! Oh no, the visitors are down a man! Juan Bernat is sent off for a last-man foul as Riyadh All-Stars break! The foul is just over the halfway line, and after Achraf Hakimi tripped over an opponent to leave the counter one-on-one, Bernat had no choice but to hip-check Salim Al-Dawsari after flying across from the other side of the pitch. It’s the right call!

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34th min: GOAL! RIYADH! Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to take, and he buries the chance! It’s a powerful penalty, slammed into the top-right corner, and while Keylor Navas guessed correctly, there was no stopping that!

Ronaldo 1, Messi 1, what theatre!

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32nd min: PENALTY! RIYADH! Cristiano Ronaldo and Keylor Navas are both down after a hard collision in the air, and the referee points to the spot! It’s a clear penalty, as Navas comes off his line to challenge Ronaldo in the air, but the goalkeeper comes up completely empty on his punch, instead whacking the Riyadh striker in the face.

There’s a long delay as both receive treatment, but eventually they’re up on their feet. Navas receives a yellow card.

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25th min: Chance, PSG! Kylian Mbappe has the ball in the back of the net but the flag is up to disallow the goal! The Frenchman’s run was just slightly mistimed, and he was definitely off when Lionel Messi delivered the ball forward.

Moments later Messi has a go from distance, but it’s well off target. They started slow (other than the goal, of course), but PSG are now firmly in the ascendancy.

24th min: Chance, PSG! Mohammed Al-Owais is forced to come off his line, which he does expertly to deny Renato Sanches from delivering a cross to an unmarked PSG teammate in the heart of the penalty area.

21st min: Cristiano Ronaldo brought his A+ game today, knowing this was a global showcase. He delivers an audacious backheel to Luiz Gustavo that starts an attacking move, but the offside flag eventually brings it to an end.

18th min: PSG finally have a sustained spell of attacking possession, and Kylian Mbappe squares to Neymar with a low, horizontal cross to the far post, but the ball is just inches clear of the Brazilian’s slide. Close!

12th min: Chance, Riyadh! Keylor Navas to the rescue again! Pity Martinez has a go and is stymied by the PSG goalkeeper who’s had plenty to do. Cristiano Ronaldo was the one to tee up his teammate for the effort from outside the top of the box. The hosts are the ones on top to start the match, but PSG are in front thanks to Lionel Messi’s goal.

11th min: Cristiano Ronaldo now sets the crowd alight with a vicious nutmeg of Carlos Soler. Ruthless!

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7th min: Chance, Riyadh! Lionel Messi is on the scoresheet, so his rival Cristiano Ronaldo naturally wants to counter. He nearly does! The Portuguese international fires a low shot that’s saved by Keylor Navas. Both men have efforts on goal, but it’s Messi who is on the scoresheet first!

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3rd min: GOAL! PSG! That didn’t take long! Guess who? Lionel Messi! This game is being played at half speed by both sides, but that won’t bother PSG who makes a vertical run and receives the ball from Neymar before tucking home a silky cut finish. Great skill!

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Kickoff: The players are out of the tunnel and onto the field through much fanfare, and after a long wait and delayed start, the match is finally under way!

There has been some confusion around the starting lineup for the Riyadh All-Stars all pre-match, and it looks like there has been some last minute changes. In fact, a lot of changes. It seems nobody really knew what the lineup would look like until now.

I’s now Mohammed Al-Owais who starts in goal, which was expected from the start, with the injured David Ospina now withdrawn. It was odd that Ospina was in there to begin with. Luiz Gustavo is also into the lineup as well, which was also initially expected. There are also a bunch of other changes as well.

PSG vs Riyadh All-Stars: Pre-match team news, commentary, and analysis

2 mins to kick: The players are all meeting and shaking hands in the tunnel. Some fascinating reunions, including between old Real Madrid teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos. Looks like this one will kick just a little after the published start time at the top of the hour.

5 mins to kick: Fans in Saudi Arabia are split on who they are supporting today, but either way, the two GOATs are on full display!

20 mins to kick: The PSG lineup is filtering through now, and sure enough, Lionel Messi starts, as do the other superstar PSG attackers Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. Keylor Navas is in goal, and Sergio Ramos starts at the back alongside Achraf Hakimi. Marquinhos starts and will captain the side.

The Saudi crowd is still filing in, but they all know who they want to see!

28 mins to kick: Finally there is some glimpse of team news, as there are reports that Cristiano Ronaldo will start and captain the Riyadh All-Stars side, as was expected. His strike partner will reportedly be former Manchester United attacker Odion Igahlo who plays for Al Hilal. Shockingly, David Ospina somehow makes the start in goal, despite reportedly only just having surgery a few days ago.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo comes out to warm up at King Fadh International Stadium to massive applause.

35 mins to kick: As we are still waiting for team news ahead of this friendly, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have arrived at the stadium in Riyadh, and both are expected to take part in the match to some extent.

45 mins to kick: We continue to wait for team news, but here’s video of the PSG squad traveling from their training camp in Doha to Riyadh for this match. It’s a quick 90 minute flight between the two neighboring countries.

60 mins to kick: Lineups are expected momentarily, but as we wait, we have the confirmed kit for PSG who will wear their Jordan branded black kit with gold lasers across it. The sleeve sports “GOAT” on the end to commemorate the matchup between Messi and Ronaldo. A pretty slick look!

75 mins to kick: The last time Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo faced off, Juventus obliterated Barcelona 3-0 with Ronaldo scoring twice and American midfielder Weston McKennie adding one of his own. Barcelona held 60 percent possession and out-shot Juventus 19-9, but failed to find the back of the net. This will likely go down as the final competitive match between the two greats, but today’s game could be the final chapter for good.

87 mins to kick: According to a host of reports, a Saudi fan has paid $2.6 million for a VIP ticket to today’s match, with access to the dressing rooms and a chance to meet both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It was labeled a “Beyond Imagination” ticket and the price started at $260,000 at auction before closing at the eventual final bid, which was ultimately donated to charity.

Would that be how you spend your hard-earned money?

95 mins to kick: Sportskeeda has thrown together their prediction of what the Riyadh All-Star lineup could look like, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line. Fans will recognise Brazilian international Luiz Gustavo, who at 35 years old is a massive part of the Al Nassr midfield, with four goals and two assists through 13 Saudi Pro League matches this season.

There’s also a notable name on the wing with Al Hilal wide man Salem Al Dawsari, who scored two goals at the 2022 World Cup, including the winner over Argentina to start group play to complete one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. These players are likely to see the field today!

105 mins to kick: While PSG trained in Qatar yesterday, some exceptionally funny video emerged as the PSG squad including Messi and some others put Achraf Hakimi in a spin cycle during a drill. Hope he’s made a fully recovery! 😂

120 mins to kick: Before heading over to Saudi Arabia, the PSG squad trained in nearby Qatar. The club is owned by Qatari royalty and have made frequent trips to the country in the past.

PSG vs Riyadh All-Stars lineups & team news

With Galtier still easing certain players back into action since the World Cup, including just two starts in 2023 for Messi, he will use this game to improve match sharpness in his squad.

The French side are likely to make sweeping changes at the break with very few players if any completing 90 minutes of action.

The PSG team is missing three players who didn’t make the trip due to injury: Nordi Mukiele (hamstring), Marco Verratti (quad), and goalkeeper Lucas Lavallee (hamstring). Defenders Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles) and Nuno Mendes (muscle) have been out for several weeks with injuries.

MORE: Follow Lionel Messi all season with a closer look at his upcoming matches

PSG confirmed starting lineup (3-5-2): Navas (GK) — Bitshiabu, Marquinhos, Ramos — Bernat, Sanches, Soler, Hakimi — Neymar, Messi, Mbappe.

The Al Nassr/Al Hilal XI features a mix of players from both sides, with Cristiano Ronaldo predicted to captain the hosts, alongside Talisca and Matheus Pereira but Al Nassr goalkeeper David Ospina misses out through injury.

There was some serious confusion around the lineup ahead of kickoff, but ultimately Brazilian international Luiz Gustavo starts in midfield, while Argentine forward Pity Martinez is alongside Ronaldo up front.

MORE: A full rundown of the lineups and team news for this exhibition match in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh All-Stars confirmed starting lineup (4-3-3): Al-Owais (GK) — Abdulhamid, Al Bulayhi, Soo Jang, Al Ghanam  — Al Khaibari, Gustavo, Pereira — P. Martinez, Ronaldo, Marega.

How to watch PSG vs Riyadh All-Stars

The match potentially featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be available to watch around the globe.

According to PSG’s release regarding the exhibition match, the match will be broadcast on the beIN Sports network of channels across the world.

For all territories across the globe with or without beIN Sports, the game will also be broadcast on PSG TV as well as on Twitch and all PSG social media channels.

  Date Time TV Channel Streaming
Australia Fri, Jan. 20 04:00 AEDT beIN Sports 3 beIN Sports Connect, Kayo Sports, PSG TV, Twitch
Canada Thu, Jan. 19 12:00 ET beIN Sports beIN Sports Connect, fuboTV
Hong Kong Fri, Jan. 20 01:00 HKT beIN Sports 2 beIN Sports Connect
India Fri, Jan. 20 22:30 IST  — PSG TV, Twitch
Malaysia Fri, Jan. 20 01:00 MYT beIN Sports beIN Sports Connect
New Zealand Fri, Jan. 20 06:00 NZST beIN Sports 7 beIN Sports Connect
Singapore Fri, Jan. 20 01:00 SYT beIN Sports beIN Sports Connect, Starhub TV+
UK Thu, Jan. 20 05:00 GMT  — PSG TV, Twitch
USA Thu, Jan. 20 12:00 ET beIN Sports beIN Sports Connect, fuboTV

PSG vs Riyadh All-Stars betting odds & lines

Unsurprisingly, the bookmakers have made French champions PSG the heavy favourites in this one-off clash. 

That’s understandable on the fact of things but if boss Christophe Galtier puts out a weakened side in Riyadh, this match ending in a draw or even in a loss for PSG shouldn’t be out of the question. 

At 9/2, the draw in particular offers fantastic value for the punter, especially given PSG’s struggles of late that saw them lose 0-1 on the road last time out against Rennes in Ligue 1. 

Odds via SkyBet (UK) & Sports Interaction (Canada).

  SkyBet Sports Interaction
PSG win 2/9 -323
Draw 9/2 +500
Riyadh All-Stars win 7/1 +600
Over/Under 2.5 goals — —



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Born in the early 80s in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Delbert Williams II has always had a passion for writing. Even in high school, he earned excellent grades in English and writing classes. After attending John Marshall High School, he graduated from Project Stay Alternative High School in Milwaukee. From there, Delbert attended Milwaukee Area Technical College, where he studied music and communications. While he enjoyed these fields, his love for writing remained strong. In 2019, Delbert founded Hard Stack Street Mag, a publication that quickly gained a following for its unique and engaging content. As the founder and editor-in-chief of the magazine, he has worked tirelessly to produce quality articles that cover a wide range of topics, including music, art, culture, and politics. Now 42 years old, Delbert continues to pursue his passion for writing and journalism. Through Hard Stack Street Mag, he has created a platform that allows him to share his voice and perspective with readers from all over the world. With a strong background in writing and a deep understanding of the power of storytelling, Delbert Williams II is a writer to watch. He is dedicated to producing content that is both informative and engaging, and he is committed to using his platform to shine a light on important issues that are often overlooked by mainstream media.

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