Expectations weigh heavy on Leonardo Jardim and Al-Hilal ahead of Club World Cup clash with Al-Jazira

ABU DHABI: Al-Jazira may be on their home soil of Abu Dhabi as they meet Al-Hilal in the second round of the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday, but the pressure is all on the Saudi Arabian giants. Nothing less than a win and a semi-final meeting with European champions Chelsea next Wednesday will do.

Unlike Al-Jazira, at the tournament as they are from the host nation of the UAE, the Riyadh giants are representing Asia after winning a record fourth continental title last November. There are other issues at play, however.

Al-Hilal are the most successful club in Asia and Saudi Arabia and that comes at a price - high expectations and constant pressure to win.

Leonardo Jardim may be able to still feel the cold metal rings of the AFC Champions League trophy in his hands, but the team are sitting in fourth in the Saudi Professional League as the season is almost two-thirds over and they are likely to slip further down the table in the coming days. 

There have been growing whispers in Riyadh about his future and a poor showing in Abu Dhabi would be a huge problem.

Al-Hilal’s expectations are not unwarranted in this case as the team should be too strong for the UAE champions. 

The clash will see the debut of Odion Ighalo for one. The former Manchester United striker is the joint top scorer of the Saudi league and has been snatched from Riyadh rivals Al-Shabab to replace the departing legend Bafetimbi Gomis. 

The Nigerian has big shoes to fill as the French star had scored over 100 goals in three-and- a-half years at the club and, despite being 36, had netted nine times this season so far, just three less than the new man. 

Ighalo will want to hit the ground running. Other new signings, goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Owais and