Al Talaba vs Newroz - Iraqi League

The Iraqi League returns to the home ground on August 26, 2026, where Al Talaba and Newroz will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. Real Madrid vs Fiorentina: Line-ups, stats and preview for pre-season clash.

Both camps will view the Iraqi League meeting at the home ground as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. Al Talaba are mired in a difficult campaign, D over their last five and a paltry win rate of 12.5% painting a bleak picture. Newroz travel in decent nick, D in their last five and a win rate of 50% this season. Goals could be in short supply or plentiful — Al Talaba average 1.13 per game to Newroz's 1.63, and that gap may dictate the rhythm of the contest. The Saudi Pro League side have now placed a €45 million package on the table, while Watkins himself is understood to be open to making the move.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Al Talaba will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate Newroz's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. Rico Lewis played at right-back, but when City were in possession he tucked infield and supported the midfield pairing of Mateo Kovacic and Reijnders.

Star players on both sides will be eager to make their mark, and the individual duels across the pitch could go a long way to deciding the outcome. Discipline at the back and sharpness in front of goal will likely tilt the balance one way or the other. They are still debating the merits of signing a third midfielder, a deal for Lewis Hall is going to be extremely difficult to pull off and Marcus Rashford's situation means signing an attacker isn't currently off the agenda.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. Expect a tight, competitive affair that could easily end all square at 2-2. With positions in the Iraqi League table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. The team currently most likely to win the 2026 WNBA Finals according to Opta.