Saudi clubs are favorites to reach the Asian Champions League quarter-finals

All eyes are on Jeddah, which is hosting the Round of 16 matches of the AFC Champions League. The three Saudi clubs appear poised to reach the quarterfinals, benefiting from the centralized format and single-leg matches being played on home soil. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided to hold the West Asian clubs' matches in Jeddah after they were previously postponed due to regional tensions. These matches will be played at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, a move aimed at ensuring the competition's completion in stable conditions. Three Saudi clubs are participating in this round: Al-Ahli, the defending champions, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ittihad. All three have a strong chance of qualifying, especially playing in front of their home fans. Al-Ahli seems ideally positioned to continue their title defense when they face Al-Duhail, benefiting from their consistent form and strong domestic competition. However, the Qatari team previously held them to a draw in the group stage, which should serve as a warning to the reigning champions. In another important match, Al-Hilal will clash with Al-Sadd in a encounter between two teams with a rich history in the tournament. Al-Hilal enters the match with high confidence after their positive results against Qatari clubs, in addition to topping their group. Al-Sadd, on the other hand, relies on its experience and ability to perform in big matches, despite its inconsistent results this season. Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad seeks to capitalize on home advantage when they face Al-Wahda, who are going through a difficult period domestically, but who have already defeated the Saudi team in the group stage, adding a revenge element to the encounter. In the fourth match, Shabab Al-Ahli meets Tractor in a match wide open, especially given the Emirati team's desire to salvage their season, while the Iranian team aims to continue their positive results despite the difficult circumstances they have faced. Matches in this round are played as single-leg knockout ties, unlike the East Asian zone which was completed with home and away matches. This increases the importance of focus and reduces the margin for error, as one slip-up could end their continental journey. The final stages of the tournament are also scheduled to continue in Jeddah from April 16 to 25, giving the qualified teams the opportunity to settle into the same environment and boosting the chances of Saudi clubs going far in the competition. With the levels being close and the ceiling of ambitions being high, the round of 16 matches seem open to all scenarios, but the advantage of home ground and the public may play a decisive role in tipping the scales in favor of the Saudi clubs towards the next round.