Al-Hilal vs Al-Ittihad

Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena sets the stage for the first leg of a blockbuster AFC Champions League quarter-final tie between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad.

Al-Hilal’s pursuit of a record-extending fifth Champions League title faces a stern challenge, even though they’ve emerged victorious from their last two encounters against Al-Ittihad. Jorge Jesus’ side had a field day in the opening knockout round, beating Iranian outfit Sepahan in both legs via an identical 3-1 scoreline. Those victories form part of an ongoing 25-game winning streak in all competitions, bookended by a 3-1 home league win against none other than Al-Ittihad last time out. Too hot to handle in the front third, the Blue Waves netted precisely three goals in four of their five competitive outings in 2024, highlighting the potential for a free-scoring performance.

On the other hand, Al-Ittihad’s off-field turmoil, involving Karim Benzema’s lack of discipline and desire to leave, has not affected the team’s performance in 2024. Before the abovementioned loss to Al-Hilal, Marcelo Gallardo’s side had gone unbeaten in their first six competitive games of the new calendar year (W5, D1), bagging 2+ goals in all five wins. However, it’s been nearly four years since Al-Ittihad last won a match against Al-Hilal, most recently doing so in a 2-0 home league triumph in April 2021. On the road, they’ve lost six of their last nine H2Hs across all competitions (D3), conceding at least twice on six occasions.