“Pakhtakor” faces “Al-Hilal” in Elite Asian Champions League 1/8 finals

Today, March 4, the first matches of the 1/8 finals of the Elite Asian Champions League will take place. As part of this stage, Tashkent's "Pakhtakor" will face Saudi Arabia's "Al-Hilal" at the "Jar" Stadium.

The Riyadh club, which arrived in Uzbekistan, where the air temperature is cooler than in hot Saudi Arabia, has brought a number of star players, although Neymar is absent. The cold weather will likely work in "Pakhtakor"'s favor, as it may be difficult for "Al-Hilal"'s players to adapt to the conditions in such a short time.

The Saudi club’s pre-match training sessions saw the participation of notable players, including Yassine Bounou, Ruben Neves, Malcom, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Joao Cancelo.

"Pakhtakor"’s Sardor Sobirkhodjaev will miss the match due to suspension.

"Al-Hilal" is currently managed by Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus. The Riyadh team has won 19 Saudi Arabian championships, 37 domestic cups, and 4 Champions Leagues.

The teams have met 8 times so far. Al-Hilal has won 5 of those encounters, while 3 matches have ended in draws. "Pakhtakor" has scored 5 goals in these head-to-head matches, while "Al-Hilal" has scored 15. Igor Sergeev has scored twice against the Riyadh team.

"Pakhtakor" and "Al-Hilal" are the two clubs that have participated in the Asian Champions League the most times, with 19 appearances each.

The quarter-final match between "Pakhtakor" and "Al-Hilal" will take place today at the "Jar" Stadium, starting at 9:00 PM. The return match will be held on March 11 in Riyadh.