Shabab Al Ahli to face Tractor Sazi in AFC opener

Group stage fixtures revealed

As per the tournament draw, Shabab Al Ahli will also compete against Nasaf (Uzbekistan), Al Sadd (Qatar), Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia), Al Gharafa and Al Duhail (Qatar), and Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) in the league stage of the current edition.

Domestic success and squad strength

The Dubai-based club currently leads the ADNOC Professional League with 7 points and has kept three clean sheets so far. They enter the AFC Champions League Elite as reigning champions of last season’s league, mirroring Tractor Sazi’s qualification after winning the Iranian League title last season.

Key player spotlight: Sardar Azmoun

Shabab Al Ahli will rely heavily on Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun, who netted 9 goals in last season’s AFC Champions League 2. His experience and scoring ability are expected to be pivotal in the match.

Previous encounters and team records

According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the two sides last met in the 2015 AFC Champions League group stage, where each team claimed one win. Shabab Al Ahli went on to reach the final that year, ultimately finishing as runners-up.

Heading into the match, Shabab Al Ahli holds a nine-match unbeaten streak against Iranian clubs, while Tractor Sazi remains unbeaten in their last five matches against Emirati sides.