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AFC Champions League Preview: Group Stages get underway

The first round of group games in the AFC Champions League will take place this Tuesday and Wednesday, with four Pro League clubs flying the flag for UAE teams in the competition. Two teams – Al Ain and Al Jazira – qualified automatically through their League finishes last season, but Al Nasr and Al Shabab had to go the extra mile to make it through play-off qualifiers in order to earn their places in the tournament. Al Jazira can be found in Group A, Al Shabab in Group B, Al Nasr in Group C and Al Ain in Group D, with only the latter starting the campaign with a home fixture.

 

Al Jazira will travel to Iran to take on Tractorsazi Tabriz at the Yadegar Emam Stadium, with kick-off falling at 5pm UAE time on Tuesday. Marking Tractorsazi’s debut in the continental competition, the Iranian club comes into the match off the back of a comfortable 3-1 victory over Fajr Sepasi, which sees them sitting second in their domestic league, three points behind leaders Esteghlal. Of course, the big news for Al Jazira ahead of the fixture is the appointment of new Head Coach Luis Milla, following Thursday night’s sacking of Paulo Bonamigo, and the Spaniard has vowed to get his new side playing with Spanish flair. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact the former Real Madrid and Barcelona player can make in less than a week with the squad before taking charge of his first competitive game.

 

Al Shabab also begin their group games on Tuesday, travelling to Qatar to take on Lekhwiya at the Al Sadd Stadium in Doha, with kick-off at 7pm UAE time. Al Shabab, who are fifth in the UAE Pro League, are currently on a fine unbeaten run of 13 games and will hope to keep it up in their Group B opener against a side currently placed second in the Qatar Stars League. Lekhwiya enter the game following a 2-1 domestic victory over Qatar SC on Friday, and Al Shabab also enjoyed a win in the lead-up to the match, posting a 2-0 success over Al Ahli on Thursday night.

 

Wednesday sees Al Ain host Saudi giants Al Hilal at 7:15pm at the Tahnoun Bin Mohamed Stadium, and the UAE Pro League leaders will hope to make an immediate recovery after Thursday’s shock defeat at the hands of Dibba Al Fujairah in the domestic league, which ended their 23-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Al Ain’s Group D opener sees them embark on their eighth AFC Champions League campaign, and Al Hilal, who sit second in the Saudi league, will certainly not be easy opponents. The only of the UAE teams not to travel in the opening round of the group stages, Al Ain will be looking to make their home advantage count to stand them in good stead for the remaining group fixtures.

 

Al Nasr make the trip to Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan of Iran on Wednesday as they face the side placed 3rd in the Iranian league at 8pm UAE time at the Foolad Shahr Stadium in Esfahan. Going into the game off the back of two disappointing back-to-back defeats in the Etisalat Pro League, Al Nasr will be keen to turn their recent dip in results around with a positive outcome to the start of their AFC Champions League group campaign. Sepahan had a better result in the lead-up to Wednesday’s match, beating mid-table Malaven in the Iran Pro League last Thursday, leaving them just five points behind leaders Esteghlal.