Al Hilal take on Shabab Al Ahli in the AFC Champions League Elite seeking a response
Al Hilal host UAE side Shabab Al Ahli on Tuesday evening in the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite, with kick-off at 9:15 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Al Hilal are looking to bounce back after losing to Qatar’s Al Shamal in the previous round, while their visitors arrive on the back of three consecutive wins.
Al Hilal host UAE side Shabab Al Ahli on Tuesday evening in the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite, with kick-off at 9:15 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Al Hilal are looking to bounce back after losing to Qatar’s Al Shamal in the previous round, while their visitors arrive on the back of three consecutive wins.
Al Hilal lost 3-1 to Al Shamal in a match in which their coach, Simone Inzaghi, fielded his second-string players and rested the regular starters. It was Al Hilal’s first defeat to Al Shamal since the competition was renamed the AFC Champions League Elite.
Summerville is suspended and Martinelli is injured for Al Hilal, while the fitness of Ruben Neves and Salem Al-Dawsari is in doubt after they were injured in the league match against Al Fateh.
Al Ain lead the West Zone standings with 12 points, followed by Shabab Al Ahli with nine. Defending champions Al Ahli and Al Qadsiah have eight points each, followed by Al Nassr on six points with a match in hand. Al Hilal and Esteghlal are level with Al Nassr, while Al Shamal have five points and Al Ittihad four.
Shabab Al Ahli are coached by André Sousa Jardim and have Sardar Azmoun, Saeid Ezatolahi, Guilherme Bala, Maksimović, Cartabia and Marcelo in their squad, along with Matheusão, Bizerra, Riquelme and Bruno Cascardo.