Before a slightly more distant trip to Baghdad to challenge Al-Shorta, Al-Ittihad begins the first phase of the Asian Champions League in Abu Dhabi, against Al-Wahda, this Monday evening (kick-off 6 p.m. in France). The Saudi Arabian champion flew to the capital of the United Arab Emirates without Karim Benzema, victim of a muscle injury, nor N'Golo Kanté, suspended.
At a press conference, Laurent Blanc did not want to give the unavailability duration of his featured captain, adding that the Golden Ball 2022 was affected by one of the hamstring muscles and that it was not serious. “KB9” filmed at the end of a jogging during the weekend and could therefore resume in Saudi Pro League on Saturday, against Al-Najma.
Moussa Diaby, Steven Bergwijn, Houssem Aouar, Fabinho, Danilo Pereira or Predrag Rajkovic will try to start their continental career with a success in a team led by the Serbian veteran Dusan Tadic. The Portuguese coach José Morais hoped to cross the road to Benzema, whom he rubbed shoulders with Real from 2010 to 2013 as awarded José Mourinho.
Al-Ittihad, al-Ahli et al-Hilal live on YouTube
Asian Champions League shocks are broadcast directly on the YouTube channel of the Asian Confederation. Al-Ahli, the Edouard Mendy club, Enzo Millot and Riyad Mahrez, also begins this Monday (8:15 p.m. in France) against the Uzbeks of Nasaf Qarshi. Al-Hilal, with Darwin Nunez as a new scorer, confronts the Qatarians of Al-Duhail, led by Djamel Belmadi and with Benjamin Bourigeaud in the team.
In this officially appointed competition AFC Champions League Elite, the 12 teams in the West region face eight different opponents and the first eight in the general classification access the knockout stages.
