#ACL Final 1st Leg: 5 things to look out for

Sat, 11 May, 2024

#ACL Final 1st Leg: 5 things to look out for

Yokohama: The AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 final is upon us as Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos get set to host the United Arab Emirates’ Al Ain FC in the first leg at Yokohama International Stadium on Saturday.

The game sees Al Ain return to the final for the fourth time and first since 2016, while their hosts from the J1 League are making their first appearance in the showpiece event.
 
As the teams get set to face off for the right to be crowned kings of Asia, the-AFC.com has selected five things to look out for.

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Preview - Final (1st Leg): Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) v Al Ain FC (UAE)

Sat, 11 May, 2024

Preview - Final (1st Leg): Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) v Al Ain FC (UAE)

Yokohama: A place in Asian football history is what Yokohama F. Marinos and Al Ain FC will be chasing when they meet in the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 final, with the first leg to be played on Saturday.

Yokohama are bidding to win the title for the first time while Al Ain are seeking to add a second championship, having won the inaugural edition in 2003 with a new AFC club competition structure to be introduced from the 2024/25 season.

#ACL Final: Ones to Watch - Yokohama F. Marinos

Fri, 10 May, 2024

#ACL Final: Ones to Watch - Yokohama F. Marinos

Yokohama: With Yokohama F. Marinos progressing to their maiden AFC Champions League™ final against Al Ain FC, a number of players from the J1 League side have showcased their talents to football lovers across Asia and beyond.

Over the years, some legendary figures have etched their names into Marinos folklore – among them Shunsuke Nakamura, Yuji Nakazawa, Yoo Sang-chul and Ramon Diaz – and the current crop of players will look to write their own piece of history by achieving AFC Champions League glory.
 
After seeing off two-time champions Ulsan Hyundai on penalties in the semi-final, Harry Kewell’s men are now just two matches away from lifting the coveted trophy. The-AFC.com has picked out three players who could be key in the grand finale.

#ACL Final: Ones to Watch - Al Ain FC

Fri, 10 May, 2024

#ACL Final: Ones to Watch - Al Ain FC

Yokohama: As Al Ain prepare to take on Yokohama G. Marinos, their fans will be hoping their side can finally vanquish their AFC Champions League™ final demons, having lost their last two appearances in the decider of the 2005 and 2016 editions.

Head coach Hernan Crespo can count on a perfect mix of youth, experience and players at the peak of their careers to bring home the trophy for the second time after 2002-03, even as Al Ain travel to Japan without star striker Kodjo Laba. The-AFC.com profiles key players for the Emirati giants.

Yokohama F. Marinos - Road to the #ACL Final

Wed, 08 May, 2024

Yokohama F. Marinos - Road to the #ACL Final

Kuala Lumpur: Japan's Yokohama F. Marinos are aiming to write a new chapter in their glorious history when they take on Al Ain FC of the United Arab Emirates in the the final of the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24.

Harry Kewell’s Marinos defeated Ulsan Hyundai FC on penalties in last month's semi-final and they will now look to clear the final hurdle and lift their maiden title in what is their sixth appearance in Asia’s premier club competition.
 
With the first leg to be played at Yokohama International Stadium on Saturday, the-AFC.com takes a look back at the J1 League side's memorable journey to the showpiece event.

Al Ain FC - Road to the #ACL Final

Thu, 09 May, 2024

Al Ain FC - Road to the #ACL Final

Kuala Lumpur: Al Ain return to the AFC Champions League™ final for the fourth time in their history after 2002-03, 2005 and 2016, having won the inaugural title then lost to Al Ittihad and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors respectively.

Ahead of the first leg of the Emirati giants’ encounter with Yokohama F. Marinos, the-AFC.com reviews Al Ain’s journey to the 2023/24 final, which saw them eliminate some of the biggest teams in Asia to reach this stage.

Yokohama F. Marinos in the #ACL

Mon, 06 May, 2024

Yokohama F. Marinos in the #ACL

Kuala Lumpur: Yokohama F. Marinos will become the fourth Japanese side to feature in the AFC Champions League™ final when they take on Al Ain FC in the main event of the 2023/24 edition.

Three-time winners Urawa Red Diamonds, along with Gamba Osaka and Kashima Antlers – who have won the title once apiece – have all lifted the trophy meaning Yokohama will also become the fourth J1 League side to be crowned champions should they overcome their Emirati opponents.
 
With the first leg of the final to take place at Yokohama International Stadium on Saturday, the-AFC.com looks back at the Marinos’ history in the continent’s premier club competition.

Al Ain in the #ACL

Wed, 08 May, 2024

Al Ain in the #ACL

Riyadh: The United Arab Emirates’ most successful club, Al Ain, return to the AFC Champions League™ final for the fourth time in their history, facing the challenge of Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos in the 2023/24 edition.

Among West Asian clubs, only two (Al Hilal and Al Sadd) have played in the AFC Champions League more than Al Ain, and only Al Hilal have contested the knockout stages of the competition more times than the Emirati powerhouse. Ahead of the first leg of the final, the-AFC.com revisits Al Ain’s journey in the continental competition over the past two decades.

#ACL Final: 5 Classic 1st Legs

Tue, 07 May, 2024

#ACL Final: 5 Classic 1st Legs

Riyadh: The Yokohama Internatinoal Stadium plays host to the AFC Champions League 2023-24™ final first leg between Yokohama F. Marinos and Al Ain, bringing to a close a two-decade long era in Asia’s top club competition.

Twenty years earlier, Al Ain were also involved in the final, and with clubs moving into the AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League 2 as of next season, the-AFC.com looks back at some of the most memorable final first legs.

#ACL - Hall of Fame

Mon, 06 May, 2024

#ACL - Hall of Fame

Kuala Lumpur: Yokohama F. Marinos and Al Ain FC will battle for the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 title over the coming days, with the first leg of the final to be played on Saturday.

Both will be determined to lift the trophy in the final season of the AFC Champions League in its present format, with a new three-tier club system to be introduced from the 2024/25 season.