Al Jazira given tricky Xavi task to enter Asian Champions League group stage

John McAuley reports on the Asian Champions League draw, which saw Al Jazira's play-off draw come up against Xavi's Al Sadd of Qatar to reach the group stage. Al Ain and Al Nasr also learn their fate.

Al Jazira players shown during their Arabian Gulf League match against Al Wahda last month. Ravindranath K / The National / November 4, 2015
Powered by automated translation

DUBAI // Al Ain's bid to improve on Al Ahli's run to this year's Asian Champions League final took shape on Thursday with the draw made for the group stages of the 2016 tournament.

The UAE champions, Asian champions in 2003 and semi-finalists last year, were placed in Group D alongside Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli, Uzbekistan’s Nasaf and the winner of the play-off between Iran’s Naft Tehran and Qatar’s El Jaish.

Al Ain played Naft twice in the group stages this year, taking four points from the Iranian side to help finish as pool winners. They exited the competition at the next stage, though, defeated on away goals by Ahli, their Dubai rivals.

Read more Arabian Gulf League news:

Intriguingly, Ahli played both Nasaf and their Saudi namesakes in the groups this year, taking four points from two matches against the Uzbeks and only one point from the Saudi side.

Al Nasr, meanwhile, return to the competition for the first time in four years, by dint of clinching the President's Cup in June. They have been drawn in Group B with Iran's Sepahan, Lokomotiv from Uzbekistan and the winner of the play-off between Saudi's Al Ittihad and Jordan's Al Wehdat.

Al Jazira and Al Shabab, who finished second and third respectively in last season's Arabian Gulf League, will attempt to join Al Ain and Nasr in the group stages. Jazira must first negotiate a tricky play-off at home to Qatar's Al Sadd, who feature former Barcelona midfielder Xavi, while Shabab have a testing trip to Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor. Those two ties take place on February 9. Should both win, Jazira will go into a Group C that includes West Asian heavyweights Al Hilal, with Shabab entering Group B alongside Qatari champions Lekhwiya.

In the East Asian zone, reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande head a Group H that includes Australia’s Sydney FC, the third best-placed Japanese team (yet to be decided) and the winner of the play-off between South Korea’s Pohang Steelers and either Vietnam’s Hanoi T&T or Kitchee, the Hong Kong side.

jmcauley@thenational.ae

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE