Al-Sadd, the Champions of Qatar, who set aside Al-Hilal in a gruelling marathon of a match a few days ago, will lock horns with Vissel Kobe from Japan in a one-legged AFC CL Elite quarter-final, in Jeddah tonight.
The Race to Recovery for Al-Sadd
Roberto Mancini’s side is coming off a heroic, marathon victory against Al Hilal, where they survived 120 minutes and a penalty shootout.
Al-Sadd defender Romain Saïss has been vocal about the team’s “sleep and recover” protocol. Having played the same XI for the entire match against Al Hilal, the Qatari champions are racing against the clock to find their legs tonight.
A Confident Vissel Kobe, all fired up
The Japanese side has been dominant domestically and reached this stage after a convincing 3–1 aggregate win over FC Seoul.
No History between the Two Sides Yet
Al-Sadd and Vissel Kobe have yet to face each other in an official contest, which makes it even more interesting for the fans from both clubs.
Though Al-Sadd have been in terrific goal-scoring form, Vissel Kobe have had their successes too and with their famous grit and tenacity, the Japanese will be tough opponents.
Players to watch out for
Takahiro Ogihara is the playmaker for Vissel Kobe and has the ability to control the midfield. He is certainly a threat. For Al-Sadd, Roberto Firmino’s experience, Akram Afif’s flair, and of course, Roberto Mancini’s direction certainly give Al-Sadd a slight edge tonight.
We shall find out in a few hours from now.
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