The draw for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League, held in Kuala Lumpur, revealed the path of the competing clubs towards the title.
The matches are scheduled to be played in a centralized format in Jeddah from April 16 to 25.
Despite the Round of 16 matches in the West Zone not being finalized, the draw has produced some exciting scenarios. Vissel Kobe awaits the winner of the highly anticipated clash between Al-Hilal and Al-Sadd, a match expected to be fiercely competitive, especially given Al-Hilal topped their group while Al-Sadd qualified in eighth place.
In another match, the winner of the encounter between defending champions Al-Ahli and Al-Duhail will meet Johor Darul Ta’zim, in a new test for the champion of the previous edition.
The draw also pitted Machida Zelvia, the East Zone leaders, against the winner of the Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Wahda match. Meanwhile, Buriram United awaits the winner of the Tractor vs. Shabab Al-Ahli clash.
The quarter-finals are scheduled to begin on April 16, with the remaining matches taking place on April 17 and 18. The semi-finals will be held on April 20 and 21, culminating in the highly anticipated final on April 25 at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, which will determine the continental champion.
The adoption of the single-match tournament system comes as a result of the postponement of the round of 16 matches in the West Zone, due to recent geopolitical developments, at a time when the East Zone matches had been completed normally.
It is worth noting that Al Ahli won the title in the previous edition after defeating Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 in the final. They will begin their title defense in the quarter-finals amidst fierce competition.
