Pressure builds on Al-Ittihad as Asian Champions League resumes

Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad will look to push their domestic difficulties and the exodus of key players to one side to assert themselves in the Asian Champion League Elite when Sergio Conceicao's team take on Qatar's Al-Gharafa on Tuesday.

The Jeddah-based outfit have been less than convincing since claiming the SPL title last season, with Al-Ittihad sitting in seventh in the domestic standings and currently attempting to regroup after the departures of Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante.

The high-profile pair, signed in 2023 as part of a huge spending spree on foreign talent by Saudi clubs, left during the recently closed transfer window to further impact a squad that has underperformed at national and continental level.

Al-Ittihad are sixth in the western league phase standings in the Asian Champions League Elite with two rounds remaining and the twice title winners face a battle to secure one of the eight places available in the knockout stage.

Benzema's departure will be particularly keenly felt, the former Real Madrid striker leaving to join Saudi rivals Al-Hilal, one of four clubs to have already booked their spot in the last 16 of the continental championship.

Al-Hilal are joined in the next round by defending champions and fellow Saudis Al-Ahli as well as Iran's Tractor and Al-Wahda from the United Arab Emirates, leaving four places still to be filled.

UAE's Shabab Al-Ahli are among those vying for a top eight finish and host Al-Hilal on Monday while Al-Duhail and Sharjah, in seventh and eighth respectively, face off in Doha.

Vissel Kobe lead the standings in the eastern side of the competition and can confirm their progress to the next phase on Tuesday with a draw against an FC Seoul side playing their first competitive fixture since the departure of Jesse Lingard.

The former Manchester United and England playmaker helped the South Koreans reach fifth position before departing after rejecting the offer of a new contract in December.

Kobe are joined in the upper reaches of the table by fellow Japanese clubs Machida Zelvia and Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who are second and third respectively with Melbourne City in fourth.

Machida travel to take on Shanghai Shenhua while Hiroshima host Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim and Thai champions Buriram United meet Chengdu Rongcheng.

Melbourne City visit Ulsan HD in South Korea on Wednesday as Gangwon FC entertain Chinese Super League champions Shanghai Port.

The first eight finishers in both east and west Asia advance to the last 16 in March with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all to played in Jeddah in April.

(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)