UAE’s Sharjah, Al Wahda primed for AFC Champions League Elite challenge

Sharjah FC and Al Gharafa SC will target an opening day win when they square off in the AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite 2025/26 on Monday.

UAE’s Sharjah will be aiming to maintain their momentum from their AFC Champions League Two 2024/25 triumph while Qatar’s Al Gharafa will be determined to avoid last season’s league stage exit.

The sides have kicked off their respective domestic forms relatively well, with Sharjah in the upper half of the standings.

Al Gharafa defeated Al Sailiya 2-0 on Friday to sit third in the Qatar Stars League standings and will look forward to a first meeting with Sharjah.

The UAE side, who were held 2-2 by Khor Fakkan in their league tie on Friday, will be determined to maximise home ground advantage, with Sharjah having a poor record against teams from Qatar on the continental stage - having only won once in six previous encounters.

Al Gharafa will be keen to avoid last season’s troubles on the continental stage, where they won only two of their matches to finish 10th in the standings.

Al Wahda take on Al Ittihad Club: Al Wahda FC and Al Ittihad Club will both expect three points when they clash in their opening tie on Monday.

Both are making returns to the continental stage, with Al Wahda appearing for the first time since 2021 while Al Ittihad missed out on last season’s edition.

Al Wahda will go into the tie with confidence as they are unbeaten in each of their last three AFC Champions League matches against Al Ittihad.

The Emirate side, however, have failed to win any of their last seven opening games on the continental stage - drawing once and losing six with their last victory in a curtain raiser registered in 2007. Al Ittihad will hope to carry last season’s domestic form - which saw them lifting the Saudi Pro League title - onto the continental stage but head into tie with a record of not having defeated teams from the UAE in their last seven AFC Champions League matches.

They will look towards Karim Benzema, who netted a hat-trick in their Saudi Pro League opener against Al Akhdoud, to power them against Al Wahda and also steer them to glory.

Al Ahli Saudi face PFC Nasaf: Titleholders Al Ahli Saudi FC will expect to continue from where they left off when they face PFC Nasaf.

Al Ahli - in lifting the coveted trophy last season - did it in near perfect form as they cruised to the title with a record of 12 wins and one draw.

Al Ahli are unbeaten in their last 18 AFC Champions League games and avoiding defeat on Monday will see them equalling Japan’s Gamba Osaka for the joint third-longest such run in the competition - only behind Al Hilal SFC and Ulsan HD.

Roberto Firmino is no longer with the club but in Riyad Mahrez, they have a star who played an equally important role last season - recording nine goals and eight assists - the joint highest such tally by any player in a single season of the competition since 2012.

Nasaf, who won the Uzbekistan league title for the first time last season, will know that they cannot afford lapses in concentration against Al Ahli.

Well placed to retain their domestic title, Nasaf will draw heart from the fact that their most recent meeting with Al Ahli - in 2016 - ended in victory for them. They are, however, without a win in their last three encounters against Saudi Arabian clubs.

Al Shorta meet Al Sadd:Al Shorta will have to dust off rust when they host Al Sadd SC.

Al Shorta have yet to kick off their Iraqi domestic campaign while reigning Qatar champions Al Sadd will have the benefit of having already played several competitive matches.

Both sides endured contrasting fortunes on the continental stage last season - Al Shorta’s campaign ended in the League Stage while Al Sadd advanced to the quarter-finals.

It will be a first meeting between the sides and the two will be determined to start on the front foot with Al Shorta having never won their opening AFC Champions League match while 2011 champions Al Sadd are winless in their last six curtain raisers.