Excitement and tension are set to return as the Zain Saudi Professional Leagues kicks off with three thrilling encounters Friday. Al-Ittihad, runner-up last season, will host Al-Ta'awon (9th) at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, while Al-Qadisiyah will host Al-Ittifaq at Prince Saud Bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium in Al-Khobar city and Al-Fateh will play visitors Najran at Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium in Al-Ahsa. Saturday's action will see Al-Nasr host Al-Ra'id at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh while new-comer Al-Ansar will host Al-Ahli at Al-Ansar Club Stadium in Al-Madina Al-Munawwarah. The other new-comer Hajr will have a tough home encounter against champion Al-Hilal at Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium in Al-Ahsa. Al-Faisali will, meanwhile, host Al-Shabab at Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Sports City Stadium in Al-Majma'ah city. The last season saw a number of dramatic events, most important of which was when the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) penalized Al-Wehdah and Al-Ta'awon by deducting three points each for delaying their last encounters in violation of the rules. The football body also fined the two teams a total of SR600,000. The unprecedented punishment resulted in the relegation of Wehdah and helped Al-Qadisiyah, which statistically was set to leave the league, move back into the fold. Ta'awon also lost its place among the big eight teams, which had secured their places in the King's Cup. Al-Faisali then replaced Ta'awon. After losing its appeal, Wehdah had taken the issue to the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, which rejected the complaint for lack of jurisdiction. __
