State of Play: The RSL clubs contesting AFC Champions League quarter-finals | OneFootball

It’s getting to crunch time in the 2023-24 AFC Asian Champions League, with the Roshn Saudi League more than making its mark on the quarter-final stage, which kicks off this week.

Of the four clubs remaining on the West Asian side of this year’s edition, three represent the Saudi Arabian top-flight.

We set the scene as the Kingdom continues to have a major say in Asian’s lead club competition.

Al Ain v Al Nassr (March 4 and 11)

Currently second in the RSL, Al Nassr travel to the UAE for what promises to be an exciting first leg against Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain.

Al Nassr booked their place in the quarter-finals by seeing off compatriots Al Fayha in the last 16, where the Riyadh side won 3-0 on aggregate.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who no doubt returns to the line-up following a domestic suspension, scored twice across the two legs, including the crucial winner in the away fixture for Al Nassr. A 2-0 victory at Al Awwal Park sealed progression, as Al Nassr look to reach the semi-finals for a third successive time.

Luis Castro’s men have already tasted Champions League success against a UAE club this season: they had to come through a play-off last August against Shabab Al Ahli to make the groups.

In Al Ain, they face the only Emirati club to have lifted the title, back in the 2002-03 campaign. Al Ain, twice more runners-up since, advanced to the knockouts this time by finishing top of a Group A that included Al Fayha.

They then defeated Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi 2-1 on aggregate in the last 16, although they left it incredibly late at their Hazza bin Zayed Stadium to march on: Soufiane Rahimi struck in stoppage time to secure the last-eight spot.

Al Hilal v Al Ittihad (March 5 and 12)

The all-RSL clash pits against one another the Kingdom’s reigning champions against the 2023-24 league leaders, with the added layer of intrigue provided by their league encounter last Friday. Then, Al Hilal triumphed 3-1 to extend their lead at the summit to nine points.

However, although back at the same Kingdom Arena, Jorge Jesus’ buoyant side will beware a wounded Al Ittihad, keen to make amends for that defeat. For that, the record four-time Asian champions will have to be at their best, as they look to go one better than their runner-up finish last year.

True to this season’s form, Al Hilal cruised into the quarter-finals by seeing off Iran’s Sepahan 6-2 on aggregate thanks to a pair of 3-1 wins. The prolific Aleksandar Mitrovic netted in both matches and will be a welcome returnee following his one-game suspension served in RSL Matchweek 22.

Just like in the Saudi top-flight this campaign, Al Hilal are unbeaten on the continent, with seven victories from eight matches.

Yet, so too are Al Ittihad. While the Jeddah side sit fifth in the RSL at present, they have fared much better in the Champions League: they topped Group C with five wins and a draw, then came through a tricky last-16 tie against Uzbekistan’s Navbahor 2-1 on aggregate.

After a goalless draw in the first leg in Namangan, Marcelo Gallardo’s team prevailed 2-1 in the return fixture, where they came from behind at a bouncing King Abdullah Sports City courtesy of the in-form Abderrazzaq Hamdallah and a late, late own goal.

Asian champions in 2004 and 2005 (and runners-up in 2009), can Al Ittihad make it another season to remember on the continent?