Sepahan vs Al Hilal: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

Published at :February 13, 2024 at 2:15 PM

Modified at :February 13, 2024 at 2:15 PM

Saudi giants will look to continue their unbeaten streak in the AFC Champions League

Sepahan despite a 2-1 loss against Al Ittihad on the final matchday of the AFC Champions League group stage, made it to the knockout stages. They qualified with better goal difference. The Iranian side are placed second in the Iran Pro League, a point behind the league leaders and have lost three consecutive matches in the league.

At the midway point of the season, Al Hilal dominates the Saudi Pro League, boasting a substantial lead with 53 points from 19 games and an outstanding 22-game winning streak across all competitions. As they prepare to face Sepahan after a one-month hiatus since their last match in the AFC Champions League, they will look to start the Round of 16 with a win; they are heading into this match as the winners of the Riyadh Cup.

Kick-Off:

Thursday, 15 February at 09:30 PM IST

Location: Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium

Form

Sepahan (in all competitions): W-W-L-L-L

Al Hilal (in all competitions): W-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out

Ramin Rezaeian (Sepahan)

Rezaeian has emerged as Sepahan’s leading goal-scorer in the AFC Champions League for the 2023-24 season, netting an impressive total of four goals. Beyond his goal-scoring, he has showcased exceptional playmaking skills, ranking second among all defenders in the competition for both chances created, with a notable 17 opportunities, and successful crosses, totaling 16. This dual contribution underscores Rezaeian’s versatility and impact, not only as a defensive stalwart but also as a key playmaker for Sepahan.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al Hilal)

Aleksandar Mitrovic personifies a traditional and sturdy striker skilled at retaining possession with his back to the goal and strategically placing himself in goal-scoring areas. Despite being widely recognized for his ability in aerial duels, attributed to his physical strength and height, Mitrovic’s intelligence in crafting scoring chances in the vicinity of the penalty area is frequently overlooked. He has 6 goal contributions in the the 6 AFC Champions League that he has played this season.

Match facts:

Sepahan have suffered defeats in their most recent three matches, indicating a current streak of unsuccessful outcomes.
Al Hilal are on an impressive unbeaten streak, having avoided defeat in their last 30 matches.
Sepahan have a better head-to-head record in this fixture.

Injury & team news

The Iranian club is fully healthy and is likely to play the same squad as all the other matches so far in this season. Neymar is sidelined for the season due to a cruciate ligament injury. Muteb Al Mufarrij is also dealing with a cruciate ligament injury, with the recovery timeline unknown. Additionally, Mohammed Al Owais is expected to be out until late February 2024 due to a back injury.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches – 4

Sepahan wins – 2

Al Hilal wins – 1

Draws – 1

Predicted Lineup

Sepahan predicted lineup

Niazmand; Karimi, Yazdani, Daneshgar, Zakipour; Rezaeian, Ahmadzadeh, Dabo, Ghorbani, Yousefi; Asadi

Al Hilal predicted lineup:

Bounou; Shahrani, Dawsari, Muteb, Lodi; Savic, Neves, Faraj; Malcom, Mitrovic, Michael

Match prediction for Sepahan vs Al Hilal:

The Sepahan vs Al Hilal fixture is anticipated to be a closely contested encounter. Both teams have displayed strong performances in recent matches, with Al Hilal boasting an impressive winning streak. Sepahan’s recent performance in the AFC Champions League group stage will make it difficult for the Saudi side and have only lost one home game in the past five matches.

Prediction: Sepahan 1-1 Al Hilal

Telecast

India – Fancode

UK – No telecast

US – Paramount+

Nigeria – No telecast

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