Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup speaking on the eve of the AFC Champions league match against Al Wahda in Doha yesterday.
Qatar’s Al Rayyan dominated the 2016 Qatar Stars League season – winning the title by 14 points – but their return to Asia’s premier club competition following a three-year hiatus will be a thorough test of their credentials, beginning with the Group D visit of Play-off winners Al Wahda of the United Arab Emirates.
Both sides are taking part in the AFC Champions League for the seventh time although Al Rayyan have never made it out of the group stages, while Al Wahda reached the semi-finals in 2007. In that year’s edition Al Wahda also beat Al Rayyan both home (3-0) and away (1-0).
Hosts Al Rayyan are the form side with four wins in their last five domestic fixtures while the visitors have won just once in the UAE Pro League since January 14. Al Wahda did, though, comfortably defeat Jordan’s Al Wehdat 3-0 in the play-offs a fortnight ago.
In another Group D clash today in Muscat, The Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex will see a clash of Asian giants when Tehran powerhouse Persepolis face Saudi heavyweights Al Hilal.
Persepolis lost out on the 2015-16 Persian Gulf Pro League on goal difference to Esteghlal Khouzestan, but their second-place finish ensured a return to the continental stage after missing out last year.
Two-time Asian champions Al Hilal do hold the psychological edge over Persepolis as far as the form book is concerned having won two and drawn one of their four previous AFC Champions league encounters. The Riyadh club also eliminated Persepolis in the Round of 16 two years ago in a 3-1 aggregate win.
Meanwhile, after claiming their third top-flight Saudi Arabian championship, Al Ahli ensured a return to the AFC Champions League for a third successive year and will face the challenge of a youthful FC Bunyodkor side that advanced via the Play-offs in their Group C opener today.
AFC Champions League runners-up in 2012, Al Ahli come into the tie at King Abdullah Sports City on the back of Saturday’s 2-0 Saudi Pro League defeat to Al Nassr and they now lie seven points behind frontrunners Al Hilal.
By contrast, Bunyodkor are yet to begin their domestic league but enjoyed victory in their first competitive action of 2017 when they eliminated El Jaish in the Play-offs on penalties earlier this month.
The club from Tashkent have twice reached the last four of the continental tournament, in 2008 and 2012, but have failed to progress beyond the group stage since 2014.
