A new Iraqi attack strikes Saudi Arabia at Gulf Cup 27

What is happening?

Hours before Saudi Arabia and Iraq meet to close out the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27", the bad blood between the two sides is back in the spotlight. Fresh comments from a former Iraqi football star have triggered a wave of Saudi criticism, dragging up an old incident that soured the mood between the teams at the last tournament.

It all traces back to Younis Mahmoud. The former Iraq striker stirred up controversy at the previous Gulf Cup when he mocked Saudi Arabia's chances of being crowned champions, laughing off the question in a response that infuriated Saudi fans. They read it as a jibe at their team's ability to compete for the title.

The fallout went well beyond the terraces. Tension crackled before the group-stage meeting between the two, a match Saudi Arabia won 3-1. That result cranked up the rivalry and put Younis Mahmoud's comments back under the microscope.

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Now, ahead of tomorrow's clash, history is repeating itself in a different guise. Nashat Akram, another former Iraq international, laid into the current edition of the tournament and branded it the worst he had seen in years, blaming what he called poor television coverage. His verdict cracked open a fresh wave of Saudi criticism.

Furious Saudi fans rounded on the former player across social media, especially with the two teams set to face off in the third and final round of the group stage. The row over television coverage has become a new flashpoint between the two sets of supporters.

From the Younis Mahmoud storm at the last tournament to Nashat Akram's jibes before tomorrow, the tension is building all over again. Saudi Arabia against Iraq now carries far more than a place in the semi-finals. It comes wrapped in mounting controversy that lays bare just how prickly this Gulf Cup rivalry has become.