Al-Nasr is looking to compensate for its harsh loss at the beginning of its campaign in the AFC Champions League for the elite, when it welcomes its counterpart, Neftchi, Uzbekistan, on Monday, at Al-Awal Park Stadium in the capital, Riyadh, in the second round of the Al-Gharb region competitions, while Al-Ahly seeks to achieve its first victory when it visits Al-Wasl of the Emirates in Dubai, and Al-Qadisiyah is looking to continue its ideal start when it faces Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
Al-Nasr enters the confrontation under the pressure of compensation, after suffering a heavy loss against Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates by four goals to no return in the opening round, to find itself in last place, in a start that was not up to expectations, especially in light of the great technical capabilities that the team possesses.
The Al-Asmi team hopes that facing Neftchi will be an opportunity to correct the course and restore balance, benefiting from its return to local competitions with a victory over Al-Diriyah with three goals to none, in the eighth round of the Saudi Professional League, in a result that gave it a moral boost before resuming its continental career.
Al-Nasr is counting on the capabilities of its Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo, in addition to the offensive elements that the team possesses, in order to overcome the effects of Al-Ain’s loss and prove that the opening stumble was nothing but a setback.
On the other hand, Uzbekistan's Neftchi comes to Riyadh in high spirits, after beginning its continental participation by defeating Iraqi Air Force Club 1-0, earning the first three points in its journey, and looking forward to achieving a new positive result against one of the most prominent Saudi clubs.
The confrontation carries double importance for Al-Nasr, which realizes that any new loss will make its task more difficult in the competition, while the Uzbek team seeks to capitalize on its successful start and strengthen its points tally.
In Dubai, Al-Ahly, the holders of the championship title in the last two seasons, will be a guest against Al-Wasl of the Emirates at Zabeel Stadium, in a confrontation during which the Saudi team is searching for its first victory, after being content with a 1-1 draw against Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan in the last round.
Al-Ahly enters the match in high spirits after its impressive victory over Al-Fateh with four goals to none in the Saudi League, a result that returned the team to the path of victories after the pause, and gave it a morale boost before returning to continental competitions.
Al-Ahly was close to losing its opening match against Pakhtakor, after falling behind to a goal scored by Flammarion in the 86th minute, before Firas Al-Braikan saved it with an equalizer during stoppage time, leaving the team with one point that placed it in seventh place in the Western Region standings.
Al-Ahly hopes to appear better against Al-Wasl, and to translate its technical superiority into a victory that enhances its chances in the competition, especially as the team looks forward to continuing its successful continental career and defending its title.
As for Al-Wasl, it enters the match looking to compensate for its loss to Al-Qadisiyah of Saudi Arabia with a score of 2-1 in the opening round, after conceding two goals before Leandro Spadacio reduced the difference in stoppage time.
The Emirati team is counting on the ground staff and the audience to overcome its first stumble, and avoid a second loss in a row, in a confrontation that seems important to both parties in light of their need to achieve victory.
In the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, Al-Qadisiyah faces a new test when it visits Pakhtakor at the Pakhtakor Central Stadium, looking to achieve its second victory in a row, after launching its first participation in the tournament with a victory over Al-Wasl of the Emirates with two goals to one.
Al-Qadisiyah, led by its Northern Irish coach, Brendan Rodgers, presented a distinguished performance in the opening round, after imposing control over the course of the confrontation and leading with two goals, before conceding a late goal that did not prevent it from getting the three points.
The team coming from Al-Khobar is looking forward to building on its successful start, despite the difficulty of the task against a competitor who showed good technical abilities in their first match, in addition to holding the match outside the ground.
On the other hand, Pakhtakor enters the confrontation with one point, after tying with Al-Ahly in Jeddah with a goal for each team, in a match that was close to being decided in their favor, before aiming for the equalizer during stoppage time.
The Uzbek team hopes to capitalize on the performance it presented against the defending champion, in addition to the advantage of playing at home, to achieve its first victory in the tournament, while Al-Qadisiyah seeks to return with the three points and confirm its strong start in the Asian competitions.
The speech of Turkish Merih Demiral, Al-Ahly defender, in solidarity with the Kingdom, after the recent Houthi terrorist attacks, sparked widespread interaction across social media platforms, in a scene that reflected an aspect of the relationship that goes beyond the limits of sports professionalism, to reach the human and cultural connection with the society in which he lives.
Demiral expressed his sympathy with the families of the victims who fell as a result of the attacks that the Kingdom witnessed, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.
Demiral said during the press conference: “Saudi Arabia is my second country, so I feel very sad about what happened, and I stand in solidarity with everyone in these circumstances.
He added: We are ready to face Al-Wasl, and we enter the match with great confidence as the Asian champions, and we look forward to delivering a performance worthy of Al-Ahly’s status.”
Demiral's presence in Saudi stadiums was not limited to his role with Al-Ahly, as his positions and statements outside the field became of interest to the fans, especially when it came to his expression of his appreciation for the Kingdom and his pride in being there, which was reflected in the reactions that accompanied his last speech.
These interactions reveal the growing role that football stars play in conveying the image of the countries in which they embrace their sporting professionalism, in light of their wide public presence and great influence across social media platforms, where their words and positions spread beyond the boundaries of sports competitions.
The connection shown by some foreign players towards Saudi Arabia gives a human dimension to their professional experience, as their relationship with the country does not stop at the borders of clubs, contracts and competitions, but rather extends to interacting with society and forming personal impressions and experiences that are reflected in their public statements and positions.
Since joining Al-Ahly, Demiral has become one of the names that attracts the attention of the club's fans, whether through his performance on the field or his positions off it. The interaction with his talk about the Kingdom came to confirm that the influence of a professional player is not only measured by what he presents in matches, but also extends to the messages he conveys about his experience in Saudi Arabia.
Between his defensive toughness with Al-Ahly and his words in which he expressed his feelings towards the Kingdom, Demiral presents a picture of the player whose experience exceeded the limits of sports professionalism, becoming part of the story of a human connection to a country that hosts him, and in which he enjoys a public presence that goes beyond the green rectangle.
