JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al-Nassr dey among di three big-spending Saudi Arabian clubs wey dey aim for AFC Champions League glory wen di knockout stages begin on Friday.
Di desert nation go host di quarter-finals, semi-finals, and di final of Asia’s top club competition — dis year e get new face and format as di AFC Champions League Elite. Di event go run from April 25 to May 3 for Jeddah.
Di cash-rich Saudi clubs don draw big stars from Europe, wey mean say Jeddah’s Al-Ahli plus Riyadh clubs Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr dey among di favorites to carry di trophy on May 3 at di 62,000-capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Saudi teams don show strength for di West Zone league stages, with Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli both dey unbeaten for eight matches, while Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr don occupy di next best position as dem fill di top three spots.
Ronaldo, wey don cabin di world stage since him days for Manchester United and Real Madrid, dey 40 years old but still dey perform, don score seven goals for di competition dis season as him dey hunt for him first AFC Champions League trophy in di twilight of him career.
Despite breaking di Saudi Pro League scoring record last season with 35 goals and leading di goals table dis season, Ronaldo never collect any silverware since him join Al-Nassr in December 2022.
As e dey return from rest, Ronaldo don set him eyes on winning dis major trophy for Saudi Arabia. On Saturday, him go lead Al-Nassr against Japan-based Yokohama F.Marinos for di Asian Champions League Elite quarter-finals. Di Riyadh club, wey still dey look for dia first continental championship, expected to move to di last four, especially as Ronaldo don rest for Al-Nassr’s domestic league win over Damac.
Even without di five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Coach Stefano Pioli get top players like Jhon Duran, wey dem sign from Aston Villa for over $100 million, former Liverpool star Sadio Mane, and Spanish international defender Aymeric Laporte at him disposal. Al-Nassr also get home advantage, as all playoff games dey happen for Jeddah along di Red Sea coast.
“We’re now fully focused on Asia,” Pioli talk on Tuesday. “We have been working hard to prepare for it and I’m satisfied with di performance of di players.”
Yokohama wey be di beaten finalists last season dey struggle for di bottom of Japan’s domestic league, with only two points from di last seven games. Di club just fire Steve Holland, wey be former England national team assistant, after just four months as coach. “To fill di void,” di club talk for statement, “Patrick Kisnorbo go serve as interim manager for di time being.”
Ronaldo’s rival for di Riyadh side, Al-Hilal, don win record four Asian titles and dem go play on Friday against Gwangju FC, a South Korean club wey dey make dia first appearance for di tournament. Al-Hilal be di best performers for di ACL group stage, and since e no go fit catch Al-Ittihad for di top of di Saudi Pro League, dem dey focused on dia bid for a fifth continental championship.
“Di Asian Champions League be personal dream for me, as I never achieve am with di team,” Hilal coach Jorge Jesus talk. “E be dream for di fans and di club president, and we go continue to play to win every match.”
Al-Ahli dey among di third contenders from Saudi Arabia, and di two-time finalists don set dia sights to lift di trophy for dia home stadium in Jeddah on May 3. But first, dem need to win dia quarter-final match against Thai powerhouse Buriram United. Di only match wey no get Saudi club go take place on Sunday wen two-time champions Al-Sadd of Qatar go face Kawasaki Frontale, a Japanese club wey dey look for dia first title.
