For the first time since the tournament began in 2002 the knockout stage featured an open draw meaning that there were no limitations on clubs from the same country meeting in the quarter-final stage and a packed AFC House could have witnessed the two representatives of clubs from Uzbekistan, Korea Republic and Japan drawn together in the quarter-finals.

And as it transpired it was the J.League rivals that would cross swords on the continental stage when Tokuaki Suzuki, Director of the AFC Champions League Project Department (pictured) drew Kawasaki, who knocked out defending champions and J.League rivals Gamba Osaka in the round of 16, and Nagoya Grampus, who denied Korea Republic three berths in the last eight when they knocked out Suwon Samsung Bluewings, in quarter-final two.

Kawasaki will play the first leg at home on September 23 before the action moves to Nagoya for the return fixture a week later.

Korea’s two representatives avoided each other with FC Seoul being drawn to play surprise quarter-finalists Umm Salal from Qatar and Pohang Steelers - back-to-back Asian Club Championship winners in the late ’90s - taking on Uzbek powerhouse Bunyodkor.

Bunyodkor, who are expected to unveil former Brazil and Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari as head coach on Monday, will host the Steelers in Tashkent on September 23 with the Uzbeks travelling to Korea for the second leg on September 30.

The final quarter-final match up sees an intriguing battle between two AFC Champions League stalwarts when two-time winners Al Ittihad face Pakhtakor, the only team to have participated in all seven editions of the competition.

Pakhtakor host the first leg on September 24 with Jeddah the venue for the return fixture six days later.

AFC Champions League 2009 quarter-final draw

QF 1 Umm Salal (QAT) v FC Seoul (KOR)
QF 2 Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) v Nagoya Grampus (JPN)
QF 3 Pakhtakor (UZB) v Al Ittihad (KSA)
QF 4 Bunyodkor (UZB) v Pohang Steelers (KOR)