New challenge for the Uzbeks: Al-Nassr aims for points against Pakhtakor

Al Nassr are preparing for an important away match against Pakhtakor on Monday evening at the Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent, as part of the fourth round of the league stage in the western zone of the AFC Champions League Elite for the 2026-2027 season.

The Saudi team enters the match with great ambitions to secure all three points and strengthen their position in the standings, while the hosts are looking to take advantage of home advantage and their fans to achieve their first victory in the tournament.

Monday's matches feature strong encounters, including Al-Sadd facing title holders Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in Doha, and Al-Wasl taking on Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in Dubai.

Tractor face Pakhtakor in Muscat, while Al-Gharafa meet Al-Qadsiah in Al-Rayyan, and Al-Ittihad host Al-Ain in Jeddah.

The matches of the round continue on Tuesday with Esteghlal facing Al-Shamal in Basra, while Al-Hilal takes on Shabab Al-Ahli in the capital Riyadh.

Al-Ain leads the Western Zone standings with 9 points from three matches, ahead of Shabab Al-Ahli on goal difference, while Al-Hilal sits third with 7 points.

Al-Hilal and Esteghlal both have 6 points, while Al-Shamal and Al-Qadsiah have 5 points, and Al-Ittihad has 4 points. Al-Nassr has collected 3 points despite having played only two matches.

Neftchi and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya both have 3 points, while Pakhtakor has 2 points, and both Tractor and Al-Sadd have 1 point. Al-Gharafa and Al-Wasl have yet to earn any points.

Pakhtakor has failed to secure any wins in their previous matches, having started their campaign with two draws before suffering a defeat by one goal to nil against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya last week.

The Uzbek team is currently in 12th place in the Western region standings but still has a chance to compete for one of the qualification spots for the Round of 16.

Pakhtakor needs to address its attacking issues after its players failed to pose enough threat against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, with only one of their attempts reaching the opponent's goal.

On the other hand, Al-Nassr enters the match after missing the last round due to the postponement of their game against Al-Wasl, with a desire to make the most of their rest period to achieve a positive result.

The team is relying on the experience of their captain Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates, especially after regaining their balance following a heavy defeat against Al-Ain in their opening match of the tournament.

Al-Nassr showcased their attacking abilities during their 3-1 victory over Neftchi in the second round, which gives them a morale boost ahead of their match against Pakhtakor.

The Saudi team hopes to repeat its dominance over Uzbek clubs and achieve a new victory that will help it advance in the standings and get closer to securing qualification.

The fifth round is scheduled for November 23 and 24, where Neftchi will meet Al-Hilal in Fergana, Al-Shamal will face Al-Ahli in Al-Khor, and Tractor will play against Al-Wasl in Muscat.

On November 23, Al-Ain will face Esteghlal in Al-Ain, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya will take on Al-Gharafa in Basra, while Al-Ittihad hosts Pakhtakor in Jeddah.

The round will continue on November 24 with a match between Shabab Al-Ahli and Al-Qadisiyah in Dubai, alongside a clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Sadd in the capital Riyadh.

Each team will play 8 matches during the league stage, with the top eight teams in each region qualifying for the Round of 16 of the AFC Champions League Elite.

The Round of 16 matches are set to take place in March 2027, with Saudi Arabia hosting the Quarter-Final, Semi-Final, and Final matches in a centralized format.