The Tashkent giants recruited Ristic and fellow Pohang Steelers forward Denilson from last season’s ACL champions but Scolari can only select three foreign players under the competition’s “3+1” rule.

As such, the Brazilian has decided to go with compatriots Rivaldo, Joao Victor and Denilson, meaning there is no room for either the Macedonian or Edson Ramos, who also hails from Brazil.

“Ristic has a contract with the club as player, he is the same player as the others and only the coach has the right to decide to include or exclude players from the roster,” said Scolari.

“I made my decision according to our weak and strong points. We have signed good strikers and good defenders but we have not signed midfielders.

“At the same time, Rivaldo and Ruslan Melzitdinov were injured. That’s why I have decided to choose Joao Victor instead of Ristic.”

Rivaldo has struggled with injury and missed most of the club’s preparatory training camp in Dubai and recent friendlies, while Denilson has a cold and did not train on Sunday.

Defender Gochguly Gochgulyev has also been left out of the squad in favour of new signing Anzur Ismailov and the 33-year-old Turkmenistan international set to leave the club in the near future while Sakhob Juraev is definitely ruled out.

The two sides will renew acquaintances in the Group B clash having previously met in 2008 with Bunyodkor triumphing 2-0 in Tashkent.

Scolari’s main worry is a lack of competitive action with the start of the domestic season still three weeks away and they could not have been handed a tougher start than a visit from last year’s runners-up, whose defeat to Pohang Steelers marked the third ACL final appearance for the Jeddah giants.

“Al Ittihad is one of best clubs in Asia. They were in the final last year. We have to respect them,” Scolari remarked about the 2004 and 2005 champions.

“Of course Ittihad will have an advantage having played more matches and we have not started our season yet. If we were playing two months later, we would have the advantage.

“But despite this, we will still play for a win.”

Since the 2-1 defeat to Pohang Steelers, Al Ittihad have replaced former coach Gabriel Calderon with compatriot Enzo Trossero and the Argentine has the luxury of a full-strength squad to pick from but admitted the Saudis face a difficult task to top their wealthy opponents.

“Will I be satisfied with second place in the group? Our main goal is to qualify to the next stage but we will struggle for first place in the group,” he said.

“We respect Bunyodkor. They have good players and they have world’s best coach.

“I watched not only Bunyodkor’s matches in last Champions League but some matches from their camp in the Emirates. It will be a very interesting match.”