"Elite Card" Between the Island and the Union

Dubai (AFP) – Al Jazira’s ambition to return to the elite stage of the AFC Champions League after a four-year absence will be tested when they host Saudi club Al-Ittihad in the playoff round for the unified group stage, in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, Uzbekistan’s Paxtakor will host Jordan’s Al-Hussein in Amman in the West Asia region playoff.

Al Jazira’s last appearance in the competition was in 2022, when they were eliminated in the group stage.

The club hopes that recent technical changes will bolster their return to the tournament, particularly with the appointment of Romanian coach Cosmin Olăroiu, replacing Dutchman Marino Pušić, who was recently appointed to lead Saudi club Al-Ahli.

Al Jazira have strengthened their squad significantly for the continental campaign and the season as a whole, signing Turkish goalkeeper Arsin Destanoğlu, Angolan midfielder Vilséu Milson, Bosnian defender Nermin Mujkič, and Emirati international defender Robin Canedo from neighbors Al-Ittihad.

Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad hope to overcome the difficulties they faced ahead of the match, most recently the loss of their young Portuguese winger Roger Fernandes (20), who suffered a cruciate ligament tear, and the departure of Brazilian midfielder Fabinho after three seasons with the club.

To compensate for Fabinho’s exit, the fifth-placed Saudi league side signed Senegalese defensive midfielder Dion Lopy from Spanish club Almería, and also added local players Rakan Al-Kaabi and Fares Abadi.

In July, Al-Ittihad appointed young German coach Jens Weßing, who won the AFC Champions League 2 title last season with Japanese club Gamba Osaka.