Ronaldo headlines former Premier League stars in Asian Champions League

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The Asian Champions League begins connected Monday, elevated by a big of prima names, including Cristiano Ronaldo.

Published On 13 Sep 2025

Former English Premier League stars could marque the quality successful the Asian Champions League that begins Monday. Ivan Toney, Jesse Lingard, Riyad Mahrez and Darwin Nunez each person a accidental of winning Asian football’s premier nine tournament.

Saudi clubs dominated past season, providing 3 of the semifinalists earlier Al-Ahli won the last successful beforehand of 60,000 spectators astatine Jeddah successful May. Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are besides backmost and expected to situation again for the title.

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Since the country’s Public Investment Fund took implicit the starring clubs, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, successful 2023, Saudi Pro League clubs person spent astir $1.5bn connected players.

Toney signed for Al-Ahli from Brentford successful August 2024 and would invited much occurrence successful Asia.

“It was large to triumph the Champions League successful beforehand of our fans, and they are truthful passionate,” Toney told The Associated Press quality agency.

The England striker scored six goals successful past season’s continental tourney and has forged a fruitful narration with Riyad Mahrez, who won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City successful 2021.

“If you get into the close positions successful the area, past large players similar Mahrez volition find you,” Toney said. “The modular successful Saudi Arabia is precise high.”

There are 24 teams successful the radical stage, divided into occidental and eastbound zones successful Asia, with the apical 8 from each progressing to a circular of 16.

Riyadh’s Al-Hilal is the astir palmy nine successful the tournament’s past with 4 titles, and was the lone Asian squad to get retired of the radical signifier astatine the Club World Cup successful June, defeating Manchester City to scope the quarterfinals.

Al-Hilal has been bolstered by the $70m signing of Uruguayan striker Nunez from Liverpool.

Al Ahli's Roberto Firmino lifts the trophy arsenic helium celebrates with teammates aft winning the Asian Champions League

Coach Simone Inzaghi guided Inter Milan to the last of the UEFA Champions League and a 5-0 nonaccomplishment to Paris Saint-Germain earlier quitting successful June and moving to Al-Hilal.

The Italian manager volition beryllium hoping to spell 1 amended successful Asia.

Two-time champion Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, is looking to Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, who person won the European version, to bash the aforesaid successful Asia.

Former Manchester United and England prima Lingard is flying the emblem for FC Seoul. The South Korean league is the astir palmy successful Asian nine competitions with 12 titles overall, but has produced conscionable 1 victor since 2016.

Lingard joined the K-League squad successful 2023 and, aft a dilatory start, became nine skipper and a instrumentality favourite.

“Now, we person to vie successful the league arsenic good arsenic the AFC Champions League Elite,” Lingard said. “As captain, I volition bash my champion to assistance the squad execute bully results.”

Seoul FC manager Kim Ki-dong is giving the 32-year-old Lingard much responsibility.

“He has played for England and successful the Premier League, but this volition beryllium his archetypal AFC Champions League,” Kim said. “I cognize he’s truly looking guardant to this, and he’s moving hard for it.”

Japanese clubs person offered astir of the absorption to Saudi clubs recently. Kawasaki Frontale bushed Al-Nassr successful the semifinals successful April but didn’t suffice this time.

J-League champion Vissel Kobe whitethorn contiguous the strongest challenge, but of the 12 eastbound teams, lone South Korea’s Ulsan has been a erstwhile champion.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies

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