KUALA LUMPUR: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr will kick off their Asian Champions League group stage challenge in Tehran against Iran’s Persepolis next month while title holders Urawa Red Diamonds will take on Chinese champions Wuhan Three Towns.

Japan’s Urawa, who had to defeat Hong Kong’s Lee Man in a playoff to secure their place in Thursday’s draw in Kuala Lumpur, will also face 2021 runners-up Pohang Steelers from South Korea and Vietnam’s Hanoi FC in Group ‘J’.

Al-Nassr, semi-finalists in the 2020 and 2021 editions, also had to qualify through the playoffs and, after a late 4-2 win over Sha­bab Al-Ahli of the United Arab Emirates, the Luis Castro coached outfit will also play Qatar’s Al-Duhail and FC Istiklol from Tajikistan in Group ‘E’.

Last season’s runners-up Al-Hilal, who signed Neymar from Paris St Germain last week, will start their challenge in Group ‘D’ against Navbahor of Uzbekistan before taking on Iran’s FC Nassaji Mazandaran and Mumbai City from India.

With billions of dollars in oil wealth, Saudi Arabia has been on a buying spree of sports assets as part of plans to diversify its economy and attract tourism and investment.

Al-Hilal leads the AFC Champions League for most title wins, with four to its name. With the flamboyant Brazilian playmaker Neymar in their ranks for the 2023-24 season, Al-Hilal hope to win the title for a record fifth time.

Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema will also debut in the group stage of Asia’s premier club football competition.

The Saudi Pro League champions will have their sights set on a first Asian Champions League title since winning back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005 after securing the services of French stars Benzema and N’Golo Kante.

They will take on Iran’s Sepahan SC, Air Force Club of Iraq and Uzbekistan’s AGMK FC.

After the draw at the Asian Football Confederation headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, secretary-general Windsor John said all of the qualified teams faced tough ties across the competition.

“No easy matches,” he said, adding that “a video assistant referee (VAR) system will be introduced from the group stage”.

The group phase of the continental competition will kick off on Sept. 18 and sees clubs divided into five groups each in the western and eastern regions.

Winners of the 10 gro­ups will advance to the knockout rounds alongside the three best runners-up in the western and eastern halves of the draw.

The knockout rounds will commence on Feb. 12 with the final, played between the best club from their respective sides of the continent, to be held over two home-and-away legs on May 11 and 18.

Group Stage Draw:

Group ‘A’: Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan), Al-Fayha FC (Saudi Arabia), Ahal FC (Turkmenistan), Al-Ain FC (United Arab Emirates).

Group ‘B’: Al-Sadd SC (Qatar), FC Nasaf (Uzbekistan), Al-Faisaly (Jordan), Sharjah FC (United Arab Emirates).

Group ‘C’: Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia), Sepahan SC (Iran), Air Force Club (Iraq), AGMK FC (Uzbekistan).

Group ‘D’: Al-Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia), FC Nassaji Mazandaran (Iran), Mumbai City FC (India), Navbahor (Uzbekistan).

Group ‘E’: Persepolis FC (Iran), Al-Duhail SC (Qatar), FC Istiklol (Tajikistan), Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia).

Group ‘F’: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC (South Korea), Bangkok United (Thailand), Lion City Sailors (Singapore), Kitchee SC (Hong Kong).

Group ‘G’: Yokohama F Marinos (Japan), Shandong Taishan FC (China), Kaya FC-Iloilo (Philippines), Incheon United FC (South Korea).

Group ‘H’: Buriram United (Thailand), Ventforet Kofu (Japan), Melbourne City FC (Australia), Zhejiang FC (China).

Group ‘I’: Ulsan Hyundai FC (South Korea), Kawasaki Frontale (Japan), Johor Darul Ta’zim (Malaysia), BG Pathum United (Thailand).

Group ‘J’: Wuhan Three Towns FC (China), Pohang Steelers (South Korea), Hanoi FC (Vietnam), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan).

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2023