The Swede was appointed head coach in September and takes charge of his first game later on Saturday when the Matildas take on Germany in Wiesbaden as the Australians begin their final preparations for the football tournament at this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

And Gustavsson is hoping the rest of the team can learn from captain Kerr, the 2017 AFC Women’s Player of the Year, who is currently in blistering form in England with Chelsea after weathering a challenging start at her new club.

One of the West Zone’s most interesting groups will be found in the United Arab Emirates, where Sharjah will welcome Uzbekistan Super League holders FC Pakhtakor, Iranian Cup winners FC Tractor and Air Force Club of Iraq, who sealed their place with a thrilling play-off win earlier this week.

Ahead of Wednesday’s kick-off, allow the-AFC.com to bring you up to speed with the venue, star players and the group’s context.

In the competition’s expanded format of 40 teams playing in 10 groups, with the group winners in addition to the best six runners-up advancing to the Round of 16, competition will be more intense than ever to book a place in the knock-out stages.

The UAE side have never lost an AFC Champions League playoff game, having beaten Indonesia’s Sriwijaya FC in 2011, Bahrain’s Malkiya SC in 2018 and Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor last year.

Foolad, on the other side, have never contested a playoff match, having appeared in one edition before qualifying playoffs were introduced and qualified to the group stage directly in two subsequent appearances.

A record 40 teams split into 10 groups will take part in the 2021 AFC Champions League as the competition continues to go from strength to strength, showcasing Asia's finest teams and numerous world-renowned players.

The period between 2011 and 2014 saw champions from three new countries; Qatar, China PR and Australia, but the next three editions would see a bounce back of established powers with three different clubs lifting their second AFC Champions League trophy between 2015 and 2017.

The decision came just hours after Al Nassr’s 3-2 defeat to Dhamk in Round 25 of the Saudi Pro League on Friday, the club’s ninth defeat of the season.

Former Brazil national team head coach Menezes takes charge of Al Nassr just days before they begin their 2021 AFC Champions League campaign.

Over the last six weeks football watchers in their tens of thousands have cast their votes for more than 60 shortlisted players from Asia and beyond, and in every position.

The result is today’s AFC All-time XI – A celebration of the greats who have graced the tournament since its inception in 2004, collecting 10 winners’ medals and scoring over 130 AFC Cup goals between them.

There are legends everywhere you look, so join the-AFC.com in paying tribute to the achievements of our Dream Team, while possibly lamenting the fact that they’ll never play together in a real match.