The Al-Ahli Saudi team, the reigning champion of the AFC Champions League, begins its new journey with an anticipated match against Nasaf Uzbek today, Monday, at the Al-Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

Al-Ahli enters the match with great ambition to repeat last season's achievement, as it seeks to achieve sporting and marketing gains that enhance its continental position, especially with its impressive series of positive results at the continental level.

In the last 18 matches played in the AFC Champions League, Al-Ahli has not suffered any defeats, and it hopes to maintain its unbeaten record to equal the number of Gamba Osaka from Japan, which holds the record for the third longest unbeaten streak in the history of the tournament.

Al-Ahli started its local season with a victory over Neom and then drew with Al-Ettifaq in the Roshan League, which boosts its morale heading into the continental encounter before facing Al-Hilal in the third round of the Saudi league.

The match will witness the participation of a host of stars led by Englishman Ivan Toney, Brazilian Jallinho, Algerian Riyad Mahrez, Ivorian Franck Kessie, in addition to the recently joined Frenchman Enzo Milot.

The participation of newcomer Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, who came from Al-Khaleej, is also highlighted, while Riyad Mahrez aims to replicate his great success from the previous edition, where he scored nine goals and provided eight assists, a historic number since 2012.

On the other hand, Nasaf enters the match as the Uzbek league champion for the first time in its history, but it comes into the game burdened by a negative record, having not achieved any victory in its last three encounters against Saudi clubs.