Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Amman: Ahead of the 2019 AFC Champions League knockout stage, clubs across the Continent have been busy strengthening their squads and making managerial appointments.
As a hot summer across West Asia comes to an end, it has also been a heated season in the transfer market. The eight teams from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar bolstered their ranks with exciting signings who hope to start with a bang as teams kick-off their season with the 2019 AFC Champions League Round of 16 matches in August.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With the transfer window set to close soon, teams are bolstering their ranks with various national leagues kicking off over the coming days.
The-AFC.com highlights the ins and outs across the Continent.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Barcelona: Qatar international and AFC Asian Cup 2019 winner Boualem Khoukhi has set his sights on claiming this season’s AFC Champions League title after joining his Al Sadd SC teammates for pre-season training in Spain.
The recent subject of an on-off transfer to domestic rivals Al Gharafa, Khoukhi arrived in Europe at the weekend determined to focus on his side’s upcoming AFC Champions League Round of 16 tie against Al Duhail SC.
With the two-legged Continental showdown set to start next week, Khoukhi has been quick to outline his targets for the competition and the positive impact he believes new head coach Xavi will have on his charges.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: With a new season in Qatar looming large, and knockout stage action in the AFC Champions League set to resume next week, Al Duhail SC star and AFC Asian Cup 2019 winner Almoez Ali has declared that both he and his teammates are fully focused on winning as much silverware as possible in the weeks and months to come.
Al Duhail are scheduled to meet rivals Al Sadd SC over two legs in the AFC Champions League Round of 16 on August 6 and 13, before facing the same opponents when their latest domestic campaign gets underway with the Qatari Super Cup on August 17.
Despite the hectic nature of football’s modern-day calendar, Ali has targetted nothing but success for the side which finished as runners-up to Al Sadd in last season’s Qatar Stars League standings, but exacted a degree of revenge by comprehensively claiming the Amir of Qatar Cup title.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Villach: Al Hilal SFC’s pre-season tour of Europe ended in fine fashion on Wednesday as two separate sides representing the Saudi giants secured impressive victories.
In the day’s earlier game, Jonathan Soriano’s brace along with goals from Mohammed Al Shalhoub, Nasser Al Dawsari, Omar Khrbin, Hatan Bahbri and Ahmad Sharaf saw a largely second-string Al Hilal side run out 7-1 winners against NK Brine Grosuplje who play in Slovenia’s third tier.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Ibaraki: Kashima Antlers will be targeting revenge when they face Guangzhou Evergrande in the quarter-finals of the 2019 AFC Champions League, with Shoma Doi determined to turn the tables on the Chinese side following elimination by the same opponents in the 2017 edition.
Doi played in both legs when Kashima slid out at the Round of 16 phase at the hands of the Chinese Super League club – and two-time AFC Champions League winners – as Antlers continued a dismal record of failing to advance to the last eight for the fourth time since 2009.
But, with their confidence since boosted by their first-ever title win last year, Doi is convinced he and his teammates can avenge that loss and keep alive their dream of claiming back-to-back AFC Champions League crowns.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: One of the striking things about the 2019 AFC Champions League knockout rounds is the number of former Continental champions still in with a chance of glory.
Ahead of the Round of 16, the quartet of Guangzhou Evergrande, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Kashima Antlers and Urawa Red Diamonds in the East Zone had all won the coveted trophy, while in the West, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad and Al Sadd had done likewise.
With two-time winners Jeonbuk having now departed, there are five former AFC Champions League winners still in the mix. Three of those sides, meanwhile, will look to create history by becoming the first team to lift the trophy on three occasions – the-AFC.com takes a closer look at the trio.