While the majority of focus will soon be on the UEFA Champions League which gets underway on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the AFC Champions League is starting first with matches on Monday.
Thanks to the incredible summer transfer window of teams in the Saudi Pro League, there are a lot noteworthy players taking part in the AFC Champions League than there was last season.
The likes of Neymar Jr and Karim Benzema will be in action on Monday as they take the first step towards what they hope will be continental glory of a different kind to what they are used to.
Here is your guide to Monday’s fixtures in the AFC Champions League.
This is one of the bigger away trips for Iranian side Nassaji Mazandaran as they head to India to take on Mumbai City FC. They get the entire tournament underway with the earliest kick-off time of the day in Mumbai.
One of the Iraqi representatives in this year’s tournament, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya will get their tournament underway by welcoming Iranian side Sepahan to Iraq for what could be quite a spicy affair.
Al Ittihad were one of the Saudi Pro League that really threw some cash about during the summer and the jewel in their crown is certainly Karim Benzema. The former Real Madrid striker has got three goals and two assists so far in his first six games, and now he must carry that form into the AFC Champions League.
Along with the likes of Fabinho, N’Golo Kante and Luiz Felipe, Benzema and Al Ittihad will begin with a home game against AGMK from Uzbekistan. It is a game that they are expected to win by quite a margin, with AGMK currently fifth in the Uzbekistan Premier League.
Jordanian side Al-Faisaly are going to begin their attempts at getting out of the group stage by welcoming Nasaf FC to their home ground. Nasaf are currently fourth in the Uzbekistan Super League, whilst Al-Faisaly are third in Jordan.
One of the biggest teams in the tournament that does not come from the Saudi Pro League, Al Sadd from Qatar will be looking to go far in the tournament this season. They are taking on Sharjah from the United Arab Emirates in their opening game.
The other Saudi Pro League side to take the field in the AFC Champions League on Monday is Al Hilal, with Neymar set to make his debut in the tournament.
They are currently at the top of the table after they signed Malcom, Sergej-Milinkovic-Savic, Neymar, Kalidou Koulibaly, Yassine Bounou, Ruben Neves, and Aleksandar Mitrovic. They are probably the favourites to win the AFC Champions League and their first opponents will be Navbahor Namangan who are second in the Uzbekistan Super League.
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