Three weeks earlier, Al Hilal had come from a goal down to record a famous 4-1 win in Doha.

Bafetimbi Gomis had converted into his own net 15 minutes in, but made amends in perfect style, bagging a brace, while Ali Al Bulayhi and Mohammed Al Shalhoub netted too to put the Saudi side in a comfortable position ahead of Tuesday’s return leg.

Al Hilal came from behind to score a 4-1 away victory in Doha three weeks ago, and find themselves within touching distance of their third final in five years ahead of the return fixture at King Saud University Stadium.

The Qatari side started positively at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium three weeks ago, taking the lead inside 15 minutes through a Bafetimbi Gomis own goal, before capitulating to concede four times as Abdelkarim Hassan saw red.

The 2011 AFC Champions League winners travelled to Riyadh also deprived of their star striker Baghdad Bounedjah, who joins Hassan in suspension, but Xavi insists his side have more to them than the pair.

Both Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds have one foot in the Continental final after they recorded victories in the first legs, but Qatari side Al Sadd and Guangzhou Evergrande of China PR will not give up hope yet, with a minimum of 90 exciting minutes of football still to play.

A 2-0 win for Urawa in the first leg in Saitama, courtesy of long-range strikes from Fabricio and Takahiro Sekine, give the J.League side the advantage going into the tie at Tianhe Stadium, but the hosts impressive record at their home fortress now numbers 21 matches unbeaten in the AFC Champions League.

Gomis and Leonardo – who has left Al Wahda to join Shabab Al Ahli since the Emirati side were eliminated – are tied with nine goals apiece, but with the Saudi team potentially having three more games to play, the Frenchman is the favourite to win the top scorer award come November 24.

But, while one more goal would see the Al Hilal target man take pole position, there remains a chasing pack who will have one eye on the accolade. Ahead of the semi-final second legs next week, the-AFC.com takes a closer look at the contenders.

China PR's Guangzhou Evergrande, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan, Qatari club Al Sadd and Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal will resume their quest to become Asia's kings next week when the AFC Champions League recommences with the second legs of the semi-finals.

Before then, the-AFC.com looks at how their international stars got on for their nations in the most recent rounds of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.