Al-Ittihad
- Al-Ittihad have been in mixed form in the Saudi league but have stormed into the Quarter-finals after blasting Al Gharafa 7-0 in their final group game and edging Al-Wahda 1-0 in Extra Time in the Round of 16.
- Jeddah’s heat and dry air should suit Al-Ittihad’s deeper bench and ability to rotate on Friday when they face off against Japanese side Machida Zelvia in the quarter-finals of the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League.
- Al-Ittihad are the quintessential opposition to this sort of set-up as Sérgio Conceição likes to play high-tempo, wide and aggressive in order to overwhelm opponents with numbers and attacking play.
- In Houssem Aouar, Al-Ittihad possess a dangerous number 10 with a killer instinct, capable of running the game from the half-way line and finishing clinical goals late in the game.
- Al-Ittihad’s problem in the league has been conceding goals and not keeping them out and it shows in their league position - 6th place with 45 points from 27 games.
Machida Zelvia
- Machida Zelvia have been in fine form in April and have already reached their furthest ever continental stage after defeating Gangwon 1-0 last week and having beaten Shanghai Shenhua 2-0 away in their last group game.
- Machida coach Go Kuroda has masterminded an impressive campaign to date and has fashioned a compact team that play with discipline and a vertical, transition game that is difficult to break through.
- They press smartly and do not waste time in possession, but instead try to find pockets of space and exploit them at speed.
- Machida currently sit 3rd in the J1 100 Year Vision League East with 22 points from 11 matches and have been in good form in March, remaining unbeaten.
Key Players
- Hotaka Nakamura’s winner in the last round came from a corner and the big defender will once again be a threat from set pieces, while Yuki Soma is the ACL’s top scorer for Machida and will be their main man up top.
- Keiya Sento’s performance was vital to their victory over the Korean side and provides the creative spark and running power for Zelvia to cause problems for the Al-Ittihad defense.
- Fabinho, a former Liverpool legend and the heart of this Al-Ittihad side, calmly slotted the penalty that sent them through the Round of 16 and will sit in front of the back four and dictate play.
Betting Insights
- These two sides are evenly matched but Al-Ittihad are the clear favorites at 1.73 with Machida the huge long shots at 4.71.
- Under 2.5 Goals looks a strong bet at 1.68 given the knockout game and the fact that Al-Ittihad have to be patient against a solid, disciplined side in Machida.
Prediction
Al-Ittihad are the favourites and for good reason, they have a better and deeper squad with more attacking power and pace, however, Machida are in good shape and could force extra time with an all out attack that could catch the Saudi side out.
