Al-Nassr vs. Shabab Al-Ahli LIVE Stream Details, AFC Champions League: Ronaldo's Appearance Schedule

Discover the live streaming and broadcasting particulars for the AFC Champions League encounter featuring Al-Nassr versus Shabab Al-Ahli.

Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr is set to face off against Shabab Al-Ahli in a qualifying playoff match of the AFC Champions League, scheduled for Tuesday at the KSU Football Field in Riyadh.

Al-Nassr has encountered a challenging start to their current season, having suffered defeats in both of their most recent matches in the Saudi Pro League. On the other hand, Al-Ahli enters the clash riding high on an impressive ten-match unbeaten streak.

Following their third-place finish in the 2021-22 league season, Al-Nassr missed out on qualification for the AFC Champions League last year. They are now making a return to the competition. This impending match marks the inaugural encounter between these two teams.

Ronaldo and Lavishly-Funded Saudi Clubs Set to Dominate Asian Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo will experience his inaugural taste of Asian competition on Tuesday, as Al-Nassr faces Dubai's Shabab Al-Ahli in a preliminary round playoff of the Champions League. Across the continent, there's speculation about whether the financial powerhouses of Saudi Arabian clubs can be effectively challenged.

Although Al-Nassr secured the second spot in their domestic league last season, their acquisition of five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in December has been accompanied by the addition of more star players this summer. Notably, Marcelo Brozkovic, Sadio Mane, Alex Telles, and Seko Fofana have joined from Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Lens respectively.

Despite a shaky start in the new Saudi Professional League season with two losses, Al-Nassr remains a prominent contender for advancement to the group stage, especially given the advantageous home turf advantage of the single-elimination match in Riyadh against Shabab Al-Ahli, the champions of the United Arab Emirates.

Roel Coumans, who recently stepped down as head coach of Saudi Arabian club Abha, remarked, "In the past, only Japanese and South Korean clubs could compete with Saudi clubs. The gap with Saudi teams will become bigger and bigger." Having often embraced the underdog role while facing Al-Nassr during his tenure with Abha, Coumans acknowledged the changing dynamics and predicted Saudi teams' growing dominance in the Asian Champions League.

If Al-Nassr prevails over Shabab Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia will boast four teams in the group stage starting in September, forming robust opposition for other contenders across the continent. Al-Hilal, with its four Asian titles, recently signed Brazilian superstar Neymar and Fulham striker Aleksander Mitrovic, while Al-Ittihad added FIFA Ballon d'Or recipient Karim Benzema from Real Madrid, along with N'Golo Kante and Fabinho from Chelsea and Liverpool.

The Arab Club Cup in August highlighted the rising strength of Saudi Arabian teams, as competitors from Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and the broader region struggled to keep pace. Saudi Arabia's dominance was evident, with three out of the four representatives reaching the semi-finals and Al-Nassr clinching the championship, besting rival Al-Hilal in the final. Ronaldo emerged as the leading goal-scorer of the competition.

While the Asian Champions League is divided into two geographical zones until the final, Eastern teams hold out hope. Japan's Urawa Reds, winners over Al-Hilal in the May final, need to overcome Hong Kong's Lee Man to secure a spot in the group stage this time. South Korea's Incheon United is set to face Vietnam's Haiphong, while China anticipates success for Shanghai Port and Zhejiang against Thai opposition, BG Pathum United and Port, respectively.

For now, attention remains fixed on Riyadh and the prospect of Ronaldo, who triumphed in the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United and four times with Real Madrid, leading his new team toward another continental championship.

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Writer : J. P. Keswani