Al-Wahda will look to solidify its position within the top four of the Asian Champions League Elite group when it travels to face Al-Hilal at the latter’s stadium on Monday at 10:15 PM local time. The match marks the final round of the continental tournament’s league stage.
Al-Wahda has already secured qualification to the round of sixteen in the Asian Champions League Elite, currently sitting fourth with 14 points. Their record includes four wins, two draws and a single loss. This crucial match carries significant weight as Al-Wahda aims to maintain its standing and potentially improve its position for the knockout stages.
The team is hoping to return with a positive result to stay among the top four, as they are only two points ahead of Al-Ittihad. A favorable outcome could also allow Al-Wahda to avoid a challenging matchup in the next round and secure a home advantage for the round of 16 return leg.
Al-Wahda will be aiming to continue its strong performance in the continental competition, following a draw against Al-Ahli in the previous round at Al Nahyan Stadium. That result left them level on points with Al-Ahli and Tractor. A win on Monday could propel Al-Wahda into second place, depending on the results of other matches, or at least guarantee a point.
However, Al-Wahda will be without key players Lucas Pimenta and Dusan Tadic, both suspended due to accumulating their third yellow cards in the last match. Belgian forward Christian Benteke remains sidelined with an injury. Despite these absences, head coach Darko Milanic will rely on the performance of Syrian star and team leading scorer Omar Khribin, alongside Ibrahim Yara and Facundo Daniel.
Al-Hilal enters the match having already clinched first place in the league stage with 19 points and remains the only undefeated team in this phase. This dominant form may lead manager Jorge Jesus to rest some of his key players to manage fatigue.
