The Asian Champions League began on Monday and was promoted by many star names, including Cristiano Ronaldo.
The former English Premier League star was able to make a difference in the Asian Champions League starting Monday. Ivan Toney, Jesse Lingard, Riyad Mahrez and Darwin Nunez all have a chance to win the Asian Football Premier Club Tournament.
The Saudi Arabian club dominated last season, offering three semi-finalists before Al Ali won the final in front of a crowd of 60,000 in Jeddah in May. Al Ittihad and Al Hilal are also expected to return and try again for the title.
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Since the country’s public investment funds, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nasr, took over major clubs in 2023, Saudi clubs have spent around $1.5 billion on players.
Tony signed Al Ali from Brentford in August 2024, welcoming more success in Asia.
“It was great to win the Champions League in front of the fans. They’re very passionate,” Tony told The Associated Press.
The English striker has developed a fruitful relationship with Riad Marez, who scored six goals in the Continental tournament last season and won the UEFA Champions League in Manchester City in 2021.
“When you get into the right position in this region, great players like Mahrez will find you,” says Toney. “Saudi Arabia’s standards are very high.”
There are 24 teams in the group stage, divided into Asian Western and Eastern Zones, with the top eight from each up to 16 rounds.
Riyadh’s Al Hilal was the most successful club in the history of the tournament with four titles, and was the only Asian team to break out of the group stage at the Club World Cup in June and beat Manchester City to reach the quarterfinals.
Al Hilal was strengthened by the $70 million signature of Uruguayan striker Nunes in Liverpool.
Coach Simone Inzaghi led Inter Milan to the UEFA Champions League final, losing 5-0 to Paris Saint-Germain before quitting in June and moving to Al Giral.
Italian coaches want to get better in Asia.
Meanwhile, two-time champion Al Ittihad has done the same in Asia with European winners Karim Benzema and Nagoro Kante.
Former Manchester United and British Star Lingard are holding the flags of FC Seoul. The Korean League is the most successful in the Asian Club Competition, which has won 12 titles overall, but has produced one winner since 2016.
Lingard joined the K-League team in 2023 and after a slow start he became a club captain and fan favorite.
“Now we have to compete in the league and the elites of the AFC Champions League,” Lingard said. “As captain, I will do my best to help my team achieve good results.”
Seoul FC coach Kim Ki Dong gives the 32-year-old Lingard more responsibility.
“He played in the England and the Premier League, which will be his first AFC Champions League,” Kim said. “He’s really looking forward to this and I know he’s working so hard for it.”
Japanese clubs have recently offered most opposed to Saudi Arabia clubs. Kawasaki Maino defeated Al Nasr in the semi-finals in April, but this time he did not qualify.
J-League champion Vissel Kobe may present the strongest challenge, but of the 12 Eastern teams, only South Korea’s Ulsan was the previous champion.
