Saudi quartet head into 2022 AFC Champions League with high hopes

It is less than six months since Al-Hilal became champions of Asia for a record fourth time by beating South Korea’s Pohang Steelers in the final in Riyadh, and this week they kick off their defense in the same city.

The location may be the same but this AFC Champions League is going to be another unusual edition. To start with, it is not going to finish until next February as the knockout stages have been put back because of the global pandemic and the World Cup that is taking place in Qatar in November and December. This is also the last time it will kick off in the spring as from next year, the competition moves to a European-style autumn start.

Not only that, but the five groups in the west zone will be held in Saudi Arabia over the next two weeks and that could help all four of the country’s representatives get out of their groups.

Al-Hilal are understandably the favorites to top Group A — and only the five group winners in the western zone as well as the three best runners-up go through to the second round.

The Saudi Arabians have won their last eight games under new coach Ramon Diaz with the likes of Moussa Marega, Matheus Pereira, Salman Al-Faraj and Mohammed Kanno in fine form. Striker Odion Ighalo has been finding the net regularly since joining in January. 

“Al-Hilal are the Asian champions and a team that wins trophies on a regular basis,” Ighalo told Saudi Arabian television after scoring the winning goal in the King’s Cup semifinal against his former club Al-Shabab on Sunday. “For me, they are the biggest club in Asia and always looking to win and compete on all fronts. That is why I am looking forward to competing in the Champions League.”

Opening-game opponents Sharjah are in pretty good form of