Al-Nassr's defeat to Al-Ittihad sparked widespread reactions, but the surprise this time came from one of the club's most prominent former stars, who renewed his prediction about the identity of the Saudi Roshn League champion after just five rounds.
Fahad Al-Hurayfi, the former Al-Nassr star, is sticking with his tip for Al-Hilal to win the Saudi League title this season. His club's stumble against Al-Ittihad, he insists, has not changed the conviction he announced before a ball was kicked.
Al-Ittihad won the Clasico 2-1 on Saturday evening in the fifth round of the Roshn League.
Speaking on the programme "Dorina Ghair", Al-Hurayfi confirmed he would not backtrack.
He said:"I said it at the end of last season, and at the start of this season I settled it, that Al-Hilal is the league champion for the current year. Those who know me know that I do not change my words, and of course we are still in the early stages of the competition, but things appear clear."
His opinion, he stressed, has nothing to do with the Al-Ittihad result. What lies behind the prediction, he explained, is the way Al-Nassr's form dipped late last season and handed Al-Hilal the chance to force their way back into the race.
Al-Hilal were the biggest beneficiaries of the Clasico result. Five straight wins have carried them clear at the top on 15 points, three ahead of Al-Nassr.
Their attacking form has been ruthless. Al-Hilal thrashed Al-Ahli 3-0 in the fourth round, then hammered Al-Khaleej 5-1, before edging past Al-Shabab 2-0 in the fifth round to keep their perfect record intact.
Al-Nassr had made a decent start of their own, winning four in a row before Al-Ittihad handed them a first defeat. That Clasico slip gave Al-Hilal the chance to open up a gap early in the race, and Al-Nassr's tally froze at 12 points in second place.
Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, climbed to 11 points in fourth, their record still unbeaten.