It is fitting that, just weeks after giving Real Madrid a real scare — which is more than Liverpool or Chelsea managed recently, Al-Hilal could soon seal their reputation as Asia’s equivalent of the European-dominating Spanish titans.
On Saturday, the Saudi Arabian giants take on Urawa Reds in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final, with the return match taking place in Japan a week later. The Blues are already the most successful team on the continent with four championships and they are now within 180 minutes of a fifth. It may not match Madrid’s 14 crowns, but it would be highly impressive nonetheless.
Like Real Madrid, Al-Hilal have the ability to cast aside domestic wobbles to rise to the big international occasions. The defending domestic champions have — partly because of their crowded fixture schedule — dropped seven points in their last three league games to fall into fourth and almost certainly out of the title race.
For a team that has won 18 league titles to be out of the running at the season climax is painful, but it does mean that coach Ramon Diaz and his players can place all their focus on ensuring that the AFC Champions League trophy stays at the King Fahd International Stadium.
It would also mean that Al-Hilal end a very busy season on a high. As well as their domestic commitments, the team went all the way at the FIFA Club World Cup with legendary wins over African champions Wydad AC on their home soil of Morocco and South American winners Flamengo of Brazil. That earned them a place in the final against Real Madrid, a thrilling match that ended 5-3 to the Spaniards but earned the team from Riyadh global respect.
That same month, Al-Hilal began the knockout stages of the Champions League, defeating Shabab Al-Ahli of Dubai and then Iranian team Foolad. That meant a semi-final against Al-Duhail of Qatar, who had just eliminated Al-Hilal’s Roshn Saudi League rivals Al-Shabab. As the game took place in Qatar, it was seen as a tough test for the champions, but Diaz’s men thrashed Al-Duhail 7-0. It was a stunning result and a performance that underlined Al-Hilal’s position as the football powerhouse of Asia.
It is no surprise that these international exploits have come at a cost — with a dip in form, notable fatigue, and several injuries.
Al-Hilal have been playing a game every three days in recent weeks. They have been without some of their star players, including captain Salman Al-Faraj, Salem Al-Dawsari and Yasser Al-Shahrani. All three may well be fit for the final, though it remains to be seen what happens with another Saudi Arabian international, central defender Ali Al-Bulaihi. His South Korean partner at the back, Jang Hyun-soo, is also fighting for fitness. Jang was injured on Sunday as Al-Hilal moved into the King’s Cup final with a win, after extra-time, over Al-Ittihad. The Jeddah giants are the last team to win back-to-back Asian Champions League titles and now it is Al-Hilal’s turn to try and do the same.
This will be an unprecedented third meeting in a final between the same two opponents and all know in Saudi Arabia that Urawa will be tough.
The Reds won the second of their two Asian titles in their first clash with Al-Hilal in 2017. The first leg ended 1-1 in Riyadh and in the return match Rafael Silva grabbed the only goal with two minutes remaining. It was a painful defeat for Al-Hilal, who had also lost by the narrowest of margins three years earlier to Western Sydney Wanderers.
Revenge was sweet two years later when a convincing 1-0 win at home courtesy of Andre Carrillo was followed by a 2-0 victory just north of Tokyo with Al-Dawsari and Bafetimbi Gomis scoring the goals to earn Al-Hilal continental title number three. Number four came in November 2021 against Pohang Steelers of South Korea.
That was almost 18 months ago. With the Asian Football Confederation moving the tournament schedule from February-to-November to August-to-May, similar to the European calendar, the 2022 AFC Champions League has been the longest ever.
Urawa actually booked their place in the final in August, defeating Jeonbuk Motors of South Korea in their last-four clash. Since then the Japanese team, currently fourth in the J.League, have replaced coach Ricardo Rodriguez with Maciej Skorza. The Polish tactician was in charge of Ettifaq in 2012 and 2013 and knows about the strides that Saudi Arabian football has made since then.
“Al-Hilal are a great tram and have shown that in Asia and also at the Club World Cup,” said the 51-year-old who led Ettifaq to third place in the group stage of the 2013 Champions League. “They have some excellent foreign players but also many fine domestic players who showed what they can do at the World Cup. We know that we will have to be at our best.”
Al-Hilal have not been at their best of late, but they have a habit of rising to the big occasion, just like a certain Real Madrid. If they find their form, few would bet against title number five and an extension of their Asian dominance.
