Al-Hilal ready to extend Asian football dominance against arch rivals from Japan

It is fitting that, just weeks after giving Real Madrid a real scare — which is more than Liverpool or Chelsea managed recently, Al-Hilal could soon seal their reputation as Asia’s equivalent of the European-dominating Spanish titans.

On Saturday, the Saudi Arabian giants take on Urawa Reds in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final, with the return match taking place in Japan a week later. The Blues are already the most successful team on the continent with four championships and they are now within 180 minutes of a fifth. It may not match Madrid’s 14 crowns, but it would be highly impressive nonetheless.

Like Real Madrid, Al-Hilal have the ability to cast aside domestic wobbles to rise to the big international occasions. The defending domestic champions have — partly because of their crowded fixture schedule — dropped seven points in their last three league games to fall into fourth and almost certainly out of the title race.

For a team that has won 18 league titles to be out of the running at the season climax is painful, but it does mean that coach Ramon Diaz and his players can place all their focus on ensuring that the AFC Champions League trophy stays at the King Fahd International Stadium.

It would also mean that Al-Hilal end a very busy season on a high. As well as their domestic commitments, the team went all the way at the FIFA Club World Cup with legendary wins over African champions Wydad AC on their home soil of Morocco and South American winners Flamengo of Brazil. That earned them a place in the final against Real Madrid, a thrilling match that ended 5-3 to the Spaniards but earned the team from Riyadh global respect.

That same month, Al-Hilal began the knockout stages of the Champions