The Al-Ittihad team is preparing for a strong match against Japan's Machida Zelvia on Friday evening, as part of the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League for the elite, at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah.

The match holds great significance for the Saudi team, which aims to continue its continental journey towards the title, leveraging its previous experiences in such decisive encounters.

The team enters the match with a clear psychological advantage, relying on its positive historical record against Japanese clubs, despite the limited number of encounters between the two sides.

The first encounters of the Union against Japanese teams began in 1999, when they lost the first leg against Jubilo Iwata 1-0, before responding with a 2-1 victory in the return leg.

The "Brigadier" reaffirmed its superiority in the 2009 edition of the AFC Champions League when it overwhelmed Nagoya Grampus with a 6-2 victory in the first leg, then renewed its triumph in the second leg with a 2-1 win.

The numbers reveal that Al-Ittihad has played 4 matches against Japanese clubs, achieving 3 victories and 1 loss, scoring 10 goals and conceding 5 goals.

Despite their historical superiority, the team understands that the match will not be easy, given the development of Japanese football, which requires high concentration to secure a spot in the semifinals.