Ronaldo and Neymar To Face Off Against Al Sadd and Al Rayyan in Qatar

Ronaldo and Neymar To Face Off Against Al Sadd and Al Rayyan in Qatar

The revamped group stage of the AFC Champions League Elite will feature Qatari clubs Al Sadd, Al Rayyan, and Al Gharafa competing against eight teams from the Western region.

All three Qatari clubs will face off against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Neymar Jr.’s Al Hilal, following the AFC’s draw on August 16 that set the matchups for the 2024/25 season.

Qatari champions Al Sadd and runners-up Al Rayyan automatically qualified for the new group stage format, while Al Gharafa secured their spot by defeating UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli in the playoffs.

Al Rayyan will be the first to host Al Hilal in Qatar, with the four-time Asian champions visiting the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on September 17.

A busy weekend in November will see both Al Hilal and Al Nassr play in Qatar. Al Gharafa will first take on Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on November 25, followed by a clash between Al Hilal and Al Sadd at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium the next day.

Al Nassr previously visited Doha in November 2023 and secured a 3-2 victory against Al Duhail, thanks to a Talisca hat-trick at the Khalifa International Stadium, though Ronaldo did not travel to Qatar for that match.

Al Hilal’s last visit to Qatar ended with a 7-0 win against Al Duhail in the 2022 AFC Champions League semi-finals, held at Al Thumama Stadium.

Al Sadd and Al Rayyan both drew similar opponents and will travel to Saudi Arabia to face Al Nassr, with Al Rayyan playing on September 30 and Al Sadd on December 2 at King Saud University Stadium.

In a challenging draw for the Qatari clubs, Al Gharafa will also face defending champions Al Ain from the UAE, another Emirati side Al Wasl, and Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor at home, in addition to Al Nassr.

Al Sadd and Al Rayyan will have home advantage against Iran’s Persepolis and Esteghlal, as well as Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli and Al Hilal.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Al Wakrah, competing in the second-tier Champions League Two, will play home and away against Iran’s Tractor, Tajikistan’s Ravshan Kulob, and India’s Mohun Bagan Super Giants.