Al Ittihad led by Karim Benzema, will be the favorites to reach the quarterfinals
With the midseason break providing a much needed break, Al Ittihad have returned to its best form, ensuring that they are prepared for an important second half of the season. They have won three of the last four matches since the break.
Marcelo Gallardo’s side have also entered the semi-finals of the Kings Cup following a convincing win over Al Faisaly. After failing to remain consistent in their title defence, they currently occupy the fifth spot in the Saudi Pro League. With the prestigious title of AFC Champions League in mind, they will now focus their attention on the competition.
The Uzbekistan Super League is just around the corner, so Navbahor will look to win this match against Saudi powerhouse Al Ittihad in order to make a statement. In the first leg, they proved to be a tough side to break down. Navbahor has been dominant so far in the AFC Champions League finishing second in its group. Four out of their seven matches have been won, two drawn and have lost one.
Kick-Off:
Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 9:30 PM IST
Location- King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
Form:
Al Ittihad (in all competitions): W-D-W-W-L
Navbahor (in all competitions): D-W-L-W-W
Player to Watch
Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad)
As Al Ittihad’s marquee signing, the former Real Madrid talisman is likely to lead the team to glory this season. With 15 goals and 6 assists, he is indispensable to Marcelo Gallardo to win the AFC Champions League, as he has experience playing knockout matches. Karim Benzema has demonstrated time and again that he is one of the best in the business, leading the team to success over the years.
Jamshid Iskanderov (Navbahor)
Navbahor have relied heavily on the Uzbekistan International for their push in the AFC Champions League, scoring 2 goals and assisting 3 others. With his creative passing and flair, the veteran head helps the team to score goals thanks to his incisive passing. In addition to being deadly from set pieces, he is capable of scoring spectacular goals from distance if not properly closed down. With his vision and tenacity to change the outcome at any time, Al Ittihad must be wary of him.
Match Facts
- Al Ittihad are unbeaten in the last four matches
- Navbahor are unbeaten in the last four away matches
- Both the teams played a goalless draw in the first leg
Trending World Football Articles:
Injury and Teams News
With a host of players sidelined due to injuries since signing for the club, Marcelo Gallardo has had a difficult time. Jadani, Bamsaud and Sharahili are long term injuries suffering from cruciate ligament damage. Other players out injured include Felipe and Shanqeeti.
The Navbahor squad is fully fit, so Samvel Babayan will probably stick with the same eleven that showed well in the reverse game.
Head-to-Head
Total Matches- 1
Al Ittihad- 0
Navbahor- 0
Draw- 1
Predicted Lineup for Al Ittihad vs Navbahor
Al Ittihad Predicted lineup (4-3-1-2):
Muaiouf; Sagourq, Hegazy, Kadesh, Olayan; Kanté, Fabinho, Al-Ghamdi; Romarinho; Benzema, Hamdallah
Navbahor Predicted lineup (4-5-1):
Yusupov; Golban, Ivanovic, Milovic, Yoldoshev; Dokic, Boltaboev, Ismailov, Iskanderov, Sobirjonov; Tabatadze
Match Prediction for Al Ittihad vs Navbahor
Both teams will be eager to make it to the next round but have to be at their very best to get there. Al Ittihad will be confident to get this over the line with the home advantage playing a key factor. In addition, they have to be careful not to fall victim to the resilient Navbahor side who have shown that they are not an easy side to break down.
Prediction: Al Ittihad 1-0 Navbahor
Telecast for Al Ittihad vs Navbahor
India – FanCode
UK – No telecast
US – Paramount+
Nigeria – No telecast
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.