AUSTRALIA: All roads lead to Jeddah this week as the top eight teams of this year’s AFC Champions League Elite converge on the coastal city to determine the best club in Asia.

There is a significant shift from the usual home-and-away format that has operated for the past two decades since the AFC Champions League was reformed in the early 2000s.

The quarterfinals, semifinals and final will all be staged in a centralized location over a two-week period, in a move that has divided opinion in Asian football circles.

With Saudi Arabia confirmed as the host for this new centralized format provisionally until the 2028-29 edition, it grants a massive advantage to the three Saudi Pro League sides that qualify for the tournament each season, should they progress this far.

And given the strength of the competition at the moment, it is hard to see a scenario in which the final eight does not include three SPL sides.

This year the clubs are Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Jeddah-based Al-Ahli, who get the benefit of not just home nation advantage, but home city and home ground as well.

In an ominous sign for the remaining five sides, the three have dominated proceedings this season. In the 30 games played combined, they have won 23, drawn five and lost just two.

If anyone wants to take the trophy away from Saudi Arabia after the next fortnight’s action, they’re going to have their work cut out for them.

But just how well-placed are Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli to be crowned Asian champions this year?

Al-Hilal

Widely considered — especially in their own minds — to be Asia’s biggest club, lifting continental silverware is almost a minimum expectation, which is an almost impossible standard to meet.

And it might prove so this season given their current run of form, having uncharacteristically lost four of their past 10 in all competitions. Such form is tantamount to a full-blown crisis, and yet they remain in the running for both the league and ACL Elite this season.

The return to fitness of Joao Cancelo is a significant boost for Jorge Jesus’ side, with the Portuguese international sidelined since the start of March with a hamstring injury. But getting 26 minutes into his legs off the bench in the 3-0 win over Al-Khaleej is just what the doctor ordered.

Their aura in this competition means they are always a threat and if they can get past South Korea’s Gwangju, a potential clash with Al-Ahli awaits in the semifinals. This would pose a significant challenge having lost 3-2 to Matthias Jaissle’s side last time out.

Al-Ahli

It has been a weird season for Al-Ahli. A slow start in the SPL, with just three wins from their first nine, put them on the back foot from the get-go.

But once they turned their form around they became one of the most in-form teams in the entire competition, even if that was not reflected in their ladder position.

Despite their turnaround in form, however, they have continued to struggle against fellow Big Four teams, with just one win from six against Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad this season.

All the while, in continental competition, they went 7-1-0 in the ACL Elite to look one of the most convincing teams. And backed that up with commanding 3-1 and 2-0 wins over Al-Rayyan in the round of 16.

Perhaps no player epitomizes their persona more than Ivan Toney. Despite bagging 25 goals in all competitions, he does not carry the aura that someone with those numbers ordinarily might. That is Al-Ahli this season. The numbers stack up, but the aura is not quite there.

With home ground advantage over the next two weeks, though, and a first-up clash with Thailand’s Buriram United, they have a chance to achieve something this club has never achieved before.

Al-Nassr

This is the moment for Cristiano Ronaldo to silence the doubters, and there have been plenty since his move to Al-Nassr at the end of 2022.

Firstly Al-Ittihad, and then Al-Hilal, have thwarted his attempts for silverware domestically. And again it looks like they will fall short in that regard this season, especially after their 2-1 loss to Al-Qadsiah last week.

That result left them eight points behind top spot with a dwindling number of games in which to overturn the deficit. But the opportunity to lift continental silverware, with all the reward and prestige that comes with it, remains tantalizingly close.

If they are to do it, Ronaldo will be the man to lead them.

Despite entering his fifth decade on this earth, he shows no signs of slowing down, leading the SPL Golden Boot race with 23 goals, while he has 32 in all competitions this season including seven in the ACL Elite.

If Jhon Duran can find the fire again, with his last goal for Al-Nassr coming over a month ago, they have the firepower to go all the way.

They are facing a Yokohama F. Marinos side in disarray, having just sacked their coach Steve Holland, and sitting bottom of the J. League.

In the quarterfinal they have to be favorites to reach the final from their side of the draw, with a potential semifinal against either Al-Sadd or Kawasaki Frontale.

MADRID: Real Madrid kept pace with Spanish league leader Barcelona on Wednesday with a 1-0 win at Getafe ahead of the rivals’ meeting in the Copa del Rey final.

Arda Guler scored a first-half goal for Madrid, who moved back within four points of Barcelona. The Catalan club edged Mallorca 1-0 on Tuesday.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti used many reserves ahead of Saturday’s Copa final in Seville. Brazil forward Endrick made his first Spanish league start with the club, and Vinícius Júnior was substituted in the second half. Jude Bellingham came off the bench in the second half.

Midfielder Eduardo Camavinga had to be replaced because of an apparent muscle injury in the final minutes and is doubtful to be available for Saturday’s final. He had entered the match at halftime to replace defender David Alaba, who also is doubtful because of a muscle ailment.

“We’ll see, but it’s unlikely that they will be available on Saturday,” Ancelotti said.

Madrid had demoralizing losses in both “clasicos” against Barcelona this season — 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final and 4-0 in their first league encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Guler scored the winner with a well-placed right-footed shot in the 21st minute at the Coliseum in Getafe.

“Fortunately, I scored the goal that gave us the three points,” Güler said. “We knew it was going to be a tough match. It was important to give us confidence for the final (on Saturday).”

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a couple of difficult saves late to secure Madrid’s victory.

It was the third league win in a row for Madrid, which endured a Champions League elimination against Arsenal in the competition’s quarterfinals.

Getafe has lost three in a row, and four of its last five league games. The club from southern Madrid sits in 12th place.

The match was briefly stopped in the second half as fans from Getafe chanted “Die (Dani) Ceballos, die Ceballos.”

Celta win again

Celta Vigo moved to seventh place by routing fifth-place Villarreal 3-0 at home with goals by Fer López, Borja Iglesias and Iago Aspas.

The victory ended a two-match losing streak for the Vigo team.

Villarreal, winless in two matches, played a man down from the 37th after Eric Bailly was sent off with a straight red card.

Williams scores early

Iñaki Williams scored five minutes into the match to give fourth-place Athletic Bilbao a 1-0 win over Las Palmas, helping the Basque Country club to open an eight-point gap above Villarreal, who remain with a game in hand.

Las Palmas, sitting in 18th place, was coming off two wins in a row after a 12-match winless streak in the league.

Alaves moved out of the relegation zone by beating ninth-place Real Sociedad 1-0 at home with a goal by Nahuel Tenaglia in the 65th.