Saudi Al Nassr, led by its star Cristiano Ronaldo, is looking to secure a positive result from Hazza bin Zayed Stadium as they face their Emirati host, Al Ain, in the first leg of the AFC Champions League quarter-finals on Monday. The match between Al Ain and Al Nassr will kick off at 19:00 Saudi time, 16:00 GMT.
The competition is renewed between Al Ain and Al Nassr after they met in the group stage of the 2020 edition, with both teams exchanging victories; the Saudi team won 2-1 away, and Al Ain secured a 1-0 win at home.
Both teams have performed well in the current edition of the Champions League, with Al Ain achieving six wins in the group stage and the Round of 16, alongside one loss and one draw. They hope to continue their strong performances despite the tough challenge against the star-studded Al Nassr, who has secured six wins and two draws throughout the tournament.
However, preparations for Al Ain's match against Al Nassr have not gone smoothly, as their top scorer in the current edition, Togolese Laba Kodjo, who has scored six goals, suffered an injury against Bani Yas in the domestic league. He is joined on the sidelines by international goalkeeper Khaled Issa, who was injured against Hatta in the last stage.
The Greek doctor for Al Ain, Nikolaos Tsouroudis, confirmed that Kodjo will miss the match against Al Nassr, with the possibility of Khaled Issa joining. He stated, "It is possible that Khaled will be ready to play against Al Nassr, while regarding Kodjo, we will not take any risks as he is still following a rehabilitation program."
In the absence of Kodjo, Al Ain's hopes will rest on Moroccan international Sofyan Rahimi, who has scored five goals in the tournament, and Argentine Matías Palacios, both of whom were rested by Argentine coach Hernan Crespo in the match against Hatta in preparation for this Asian clash.
Al Ain's defenders will face a daunting task in stopping the threat posed by Al Nassr's duo, Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian Anderson Talisca, who leads the tournament's scoring chart with eight goals.
The excitement surrounding Ronaldo and the star-studded Al Nassr has swept through the city of Al Ain early on, with hundreds gathering to purchase match tickets at the club's store in Hazza bin Zayed Stadium as soon as they were released. Subsequently, Al Ain announced ticket sales through an electronic platform to ensure the safety of the fans.
