Doha Qatar: Al Sadd will be aiming to ignite their AFC Champions League Elite campaign when they face high-flying Al Hilal SFC at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh today.
The Qatar Stars League champions have opened their group stage with two draws and will be looking for a statement result under interim head coach Sergio Alegre, who steps in following the departure of Felix Sanchez after a slow start to the season.
While the task ahead is formidable, a positive result in Riyadh could mark a turning point for Al Sadd.
Their opponents, Al Hilal, enter the tie in dominant form.
The four-time Asian champions are the only West Zone side with a perfect record so far and remain unbeaten in their last 13 home matches in the AFC Champions League Elite, winning the last 11 in a row.
A win today would see them set a new record for the longest home winning streak in the competition, surpassing Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos.
Historically, the rivalry between the two sides has seen mixed results.
Al Hilal are winless in their last two meetings with Al Sadd, though they did triumph in the two previous matches.
