Al Ain vs Al-Hilal: Neymar’s Return Highlights AFC Champions League Clash

The highly anticipated AFC Champions League match between Al Ain and Al-Hilal is set to take place on Monday, October 21, at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. This encounter is particularly noteworthy due to the return of Brazilian star Neymar to the pitch for Al-Hilal after a nearly year-long absence due to an ACL injury.

Al-Hilal, currently leading the Saudi Pro League and Group B of the AFC Champions League, are favored to win. Coach Jorge Jesus‘s team has been in stellar form, having won both of their opening matches in the tournament. The return of Neymar, who last played on October 13, 2023, during Brazil‘s World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay, is expected to bolster Al-Hilal’s already strong lineup. Despite the uncertainty about the extent of his involvement due to the severity of his injury, Neymar’s presence is anticipated to be a significant boost.

Al Ain, on the other hand, has had a mixed start to the AFC Champions League, with a draw against Al Sadd and a loss to Al Gharafa. Despite their current struggles, Al Ain’s head coach, Hernan Crespo, remains optimistic, highlighting that his team has the potential to perform well on home ground. Crespo praised Al-Hilal, stating that they are “even better” than last season, but expressed confidence in his team’s ability to make an impact.

The match will be available for fans in the USA to watch live on Paramount+, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 PM ET. Al-Hilal’s strong performance this season, combined with Neymar’s return, makes them favorites to win, although Al Ain’s past success against Al-Hilal, including a 5-4 aggregate victory in the semifinals last season, gives them a glimmer of hope.

In terms of team news, Al Ain is expected to have star midfielder Alejandro Romero, known as ‘Kaku,’ back in the starting lineup after missing the President’s Cup match due to international duty. For Al-Hilal, the main injury concern is goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who may be replaced by Mohammed Al-Rubaie if he is not fit in time.