BEIRUT: The AFC Champions League Elite 2024-25 league stage draw in Kuala Lumpur on Friday puts three leading Saudi clubs in highly competitive home and away matches.
Roshn Saudi League clubs Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli will each play eight games, four home and four away, according to the recently revamped men’s continental club competition that will feature two leagues of 12 teams in West and East regions.
Pro League champions and Super Cup holders Al-Hilal play four home games against Iran’s Persepolis and Esteghlal, Iraq’s Al-Shorta and Al-Gharafa of Qatar. Their away matches will be against Qatar’s Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan, and Al-Ain and Al-Wasl of the UAE.
Al-Nassr, meanwhile, play four away matches against Persepolis and Esteghlal of Iran, Iraq’s Al-Shorta and the Qatari club Al-Gharafa. They will host Emirati clubs Al-Ain and Al-Wasl, Qatar’s Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan on their home pitch.
The third Saudi representative, Al-Ahli, host Iraq’s Al-Shorta, Qatar’s Al-Gharafa, and Persepolis and Esteghlal of Iran at home. They play four away matches against the UAE’s Al-Ain and Al-Wasl, and the two Qatari clubs, Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan.
The West region pot includes reigning champions Al-Ain of the UAE, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, Qatar’s Al-Sadd, Al-Gharafa and Al-Rayyan, Iranian clubs Persepolis and Esteghlal, Iraq’s Al-Shorta, Uzbek club Pakhtakor, and Al-Wasl of the UAE.
The East region pot includes Japan’s Vissel Kobe, Kawasaki Frontale and Yokohama F. Marinos, Korea’s Ulsan HD FC, FC Pohang Steelers and Gwangju FC, and Shanghai Port FC and Shanghai Shenhua FC of China, Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, Australia’s Central Coast Mariners, Buriram United from Thailand, and the winner of preliminary stage tie between Chinese club Shandong Taishan FC and Bangkok United of Thailand.
Also on Friday, the draw for the AFC Champions League Two 2024-25 put Saudi Arabia’s Al-Taawoun FC in Group B with Iraq’s Air Force Club, Al-Khaldiya SC of Bahrain and Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr.
Four groups in the East and West respectively will contain the 32 teams competing for the ultimate prize of being the inaugural winners of this new competition.
The new season features three club championships for the Yellow Continent: the AFC Champions League Elite; the AFC Champions League Two; and the AFC Challenge Cup.
AFC Champions League Elite draw puts top Saudi clubs with competitive fixtures
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AFC Champions League Elite draw puts top Saudi clubs with competitive fixtures
- RSL clubs Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli will each play four home and four away
- AFC Champions League Two draw puts Al-Taawoun in Group B with Iraq’s Air Force Club, Al-Khaldiya SC of Bahrain and Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr
Liverpool draw ‘feels like defeat’, says Wirtz
- Arne Slot’s men are unbeaten in their past 12 games in all competitions
- Germany international Wirtz put the home side ahead at Anfield on Saturday
LONDON: Florian Wirtz said Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with lowly Burnley on Saturday “feels like a defeat” after the Premier League champions dropped points for the fourth straight game.
Arne Slot’s men are unbeaten in their past 12 games in all competitions but are struggling to kill teams off.
Germany international Wirtz put the home side ahead at Anfield on Saturday after Dominik Szoboszlai missed a penalty but Marcus Edwards levelled with the visitors’ only shot on target in the 65th minute.
Liverpool had a total of 32 shots, including 11 on target, but could not make their dominance count.
Wirtz, who has hit form after a slow start to his Anfield career, said the result was frustrating.
“It feels like a defeat,” he said. “When we had so many shots and so many on target, I think we had to score more goals.
“But some days are like this — you try everything but in the end, it doesn’t go in the goal. We only take one point but I can only say (in) the next game we go again and try to do better.”
Liverpool boss Slot bemoaned his side’s bluntness in attack and tendency to concede goals despite giving away few chances.
“We should have won this game,” he told the BBC. “There was not a lot I could ask more in terms of chance creation.”
The draw leaves Liverpool fourth in the Premier League table, seven points behind third-placed Aston Villa and one ahead of Manchester United, in fifth spot.
