Cristiano Ronaldo is looking to add another major trophy to his collection, as he leads Al Nassr into the final stages of the AFC Champions League, which is being held in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 3.
The tournament, now called the AFC Champions League Elite, has a new format this year. The quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final will all take place in Jeddah, giving home advantage to the Saudi teams.
Three of the country’s top clubs, Al Hilal, Al Ahli, and Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, are among the favourites to lift the trophy at the 62,000-seat King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Saudi teams dominated the group stages in the West Zone. Al Hilal and Al Ahli went unbeaten in eight matches, while Al Nassr also impressed and finished in third place overall.
Despite being 40, Ronaldo is still going strong. The former Manchester United, and Real Madrid star has already scored seven goals in this season’s tournament and is aiming to win his first Asian Champions League title.
Al Nassr coach Stefano Pioli, formerly of AC Milan, believes his team can go all the way. “We train hard, and trust each other. Sometimes the results don’t show it, but we know we’re on the right track,” he said.
First, Al Nassr must get past Yokohama F-Marinos of Japan. The Japanese side is struggling, having recently sacked manager Steve Holland. They are currently bottom of the J.League, but did top the East Zone group and beat Shanghai Port 5-1 on aggregate in the last round.
Al Hilal, four-time Asian champions, face South Korean newcomers Gwangju. Although they let Neymar return to Brazil, they still have a strong squad, including Aleksandar Mitrović, João Cancelo, and Rúben Neves.
Gwangju’s technical director, Jang Ki-bong, admitted that West Zone teams are stronger, but promised that his team will give it everything they’ve got.
Meanwhile, Al Ahli, with star players like Ivan Toney, Roberto Firmino, and Riyad Mahrez, take on Thailand’s Buriram United. A win there could set up an all-Saudi semi-final against Al Hilal.
“Playing the finals in Jeddah gives us an edge,” said Mahrez. “We’re going to fight hard to win the title.”
