Al Nassr are the hottest team in Asia right now, Cristiano Ronaldo's side are on a club-record run of 14 consecutive Saudi Pro League wins and enter their AFC Champions League Two quarterfinal clash against UAE's Al Wasl with a perfect record of eight wins from eight in the competition.
Due to regional tensions, this quarterfinal match-up has been adjusted to a one-leg tie played at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai, meaning a win will put Al Nassr into the semifinals as they target a maiden continental crown.
For Ronaldo, the stakes are layered. The Portuguese forward is on a quest to end his wait for a major trophy with his new club and at the same time is steadily progressing towards the 1,000-goal career milestone.
Ronaldo, currently on 968 career goals and is showing no signs of stopping, reportedly playing through illness in the last game. Head coach Jorge Jesus revealed the 41-year-old went straight to the dressing room after being substituted and vomited. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has since recovered fully and is fit to lead his team out again in this crucial tie.
Al Nassr's AFC Champions League Two campaign has been flawless so far, winning all six of their group stage games before recording 1-0 victories in both legs against Arkadag in the Round of 16. They come into this game on the back of a narrow 1-0 win over Al Ettifaq in their latest league outing, which extended their lead at the top of the Sauri Pro League to eight points.
Al Wasl, in contrast, have been inconsistent. While they topped their ACL Two group, their domestic form has lagged, sitting fourth in the UAE Pro League and well off the title pace. Their Round of 16 qualification came through a high-scoring tie that exposed defensive vulnerabilities. Rui Vitoria's team lost 3-2 away to Iraq's Al-Zawraa before bouncing back with a 4-2 victory in the return leg at home.
Venue And Match Timing
The Al Nassr vs Al Wasl AFC Champions League Two quarterfinal is scheduled to be played at Zabeel Stadium, Dubai, from 07:30 PM IST on Sunday, April 19.
Predicted Lineups
- Al Nassr (4-4-2): Bento; Al-Boushail, Mohamed Simakan, Abdulelah Al Amri, Inigo Martinez; Kingsley Coman, Marcelo Brozovic, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Sadio Mane; Joao Felix, Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Al Was (4-2-3-1l: Suhail Abdulla; Rodrigo, Gabriel Vareta, Abdallah Hausawi, Hugo Neto; João Alves, Siaka Sidibé; Brahian Palacios, Nicolas Giménez, Serginho: Miguel Borja.
How To Watch Live Telecast
There is no confirmed traditional TV broadcast for this match in India.
How To Watch Live Streaming
The match will be streamed live on FanCode in India.
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