PAKHTAKOR
Pakhtakor are the proud owners of a unique record in the AFC Champions League. The Uzbeks are the only side to have featured in all the seven editions so far since its advent as a fully professional pan-Asia tournament in 2002-03. They have reached the semi-finals in 2003 and 2004.

KEY PLAYERS
All eyes will be on captain and central midfielder Odil Ahmedov and the man he keeps supplied up-front with plentiful passes, Alexander Geynrikh. No list of top Asian playmakers would be complete without Ahmedov making the cut, while no value can be put on Geynrikh’s importance after the desertion of scores of players to rivals Bunyodkor.

CHANCES
Pakhtakor won the Uzbekistan Cup despite most pundits writing them off after Bunyodkor established a seemingly vice-like grip of late. They are trailing rampant Bunyodkor by 19 points in the league though and know a good showing at the continental level will be a huge confidence-booster. But against Ittihad, they will carry the tag of underdogs.

COACH
Viktor Djalilov has breathed new life into Pakhtakor with the cup win. Djalilov’s strategy is devoid of any hint of adventure and he is known to stick to the basics.

AL ITTIHAD
Without doubt one of the greatest clubs of Asia and past two-time winners of the AFC Champions League in 2004 and 2005. The Jeddah behemoths won the league last season and on the evidence of their current form are hot favourites to add to their mighty haul of continental accolades.

KEY PLAYERS
Mercurial midfield virtuoso Mohamed Nour is back in favour and pulling the strings from the centre of the park in his inimitable audacious style. Morocccan Hicham Aboucheraoune has been the form striker, proving his match-winning abilities time and again last season.

CHANCES
It is early days in the Saudi season and Ittihad are still warming up. The team will miss young gun Naif Hazazi, who is sidelined with a serious injury, while another key goal-getter Emad Mutab of Egypt has left. But Ittihad have enough top-flight continental experience to weather out these minor hiccups.

COACH
The club rushed to retain the services of Argentine Gabriel Calderon after he led them to the league win. The Argentine has several honours to his name and would be eager to add a continental title to his resume. A seasoned campaigner, Calderon prefers an aggressive formation to seize the initiative with blitzes.