Lady luck fails to smile down on Cristiano Ronaldo

One of the changes to the format of this year’s Asian Champions League Elite competition has meant that clubs from the east and west zones can now face each other in the quarterfinals.

The new format featuring the eight remaining sides will be now played as a mini tournament in (Jeddah), Saudi Arabia.

Monday’s Kuala Lumpur draw, saw Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr pitted against Yokohama Marinos with the Japanese side a traditional powerhouse in the Asian Champions League.

The bracket to the final will see the winner of this game progressing to face the winner of Al Saad (Qatar) as they entertain J-League side Kawasaki Frontale.

All games will be played in Jeddah between April 25 and May 3 (date of the grand final).

Saudi side Al Hilal will face Gwangju with Gabri Veiga’s Al Ahli enjoying ‘home advantage’ as they take on Buriram of Thailand in the quarter-final match up.

Al Nassr looking to make history

Yokohama have reached the final of the AFC Champions League twice in the past and were beaten finalists last season losing out to UAE’s Al Ain. Cristiano’s Al Nassr side only managed to grace the final of the Asian Champions League on one occasion and that was back in 1995 when they fell to South Korea’s Ilhwa Chunma.

Could this be the year where Stéfano Pioli’s star studded team manage to go all the way with expectation riding on on the side packed with stars such as: Cristiano Ronaldo, Jhon Durán, Aymeric Laporte and Sadio Mané.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.