SEOUL: The Saudi Arabian clubs enter the knockout stage of the Asian Champions League with a chance to give their nation's football fans something to cheer about. All four of the country's representatives made it safely through the group stage of the Asia Champions League. The Round of 16 comprises one-off matches, with no home and away legs. The teams that finished on top of the eight groups of four in the group stage have home advantage. In the big all-Saudi match, Al-Ittihad welcomes bitter rival Al-Hilal in Jeddah Tuesday. Al-Ittihad was the last team from the western half of the continent to lift the trophy in 2005 since when it has been the sole preserve of South Korea and Japan. There is an extra edge to the game as Al-Hilal is coached by Gabriel Calderon. The Argentine was fired by Al-Ittihad in January 2010 just two months after winning the Saudi title and losing in the final of the 2009 Asian Champions League. Now with Al-Hilal, Calderon has repeated the championship feat in Riyadh and did so in style as his team remained unbeaten throughout the season. “Our desire to advance played a big role in the results that we have had,” Calderon said. “All the teams in the Round of 16 are big teams and they have shown good performances in the competition. The game against Al-Ittihad will be tough and we will never underestimate them.” Dimitri Davidovic is the new coach of Al-Ittihad and is starting his fifth spell at the club, replacing Portugal's Toni Oliveira just ahead of the big game. The naturalized Belgian citizen led the club to the Saudi title on three occasions in the past but never to Asia's biggest club prize. The other two Saudi representatives are away from home. Al-Shabab travels to Qatar's Al-Sadd while Al-Nassr visits the home of 2010 runner-up Zob Ahan of Iran.
