December 28, (THEWILL) – Cristiano Ronaldo’s club Al Nassr have been drawn against fellow Saudi Arabian side Al Fayha in the last 16 of the 2023 Asian Champions League. The first leg will take place on February 12 or 13, with the second leg one week later.
Four-time winners Al Hilal have also progressed to the knockout stages. They will face Iranian club Sepahan, travelling to Iran for the first leg before hosting the return fixture in Riyadh. Reigning Saudi champions Al Ittihad, led by Karim Benzema, will meet Uzbekistan’s Navbahor.
The eastern half of the draw contains an all-South Korean clash between Jeonbuk Motors and Pohang Steelers. Both clubs have an impressive Champions League pedigree, having won the tournament five times between them. Another former South Korean winner, Ulsan Hyundai, will face Japan’s Ventforet Kofu – the first ever second division side to make the knockout rounds.
In the west, Chinese club Shandong Taishan hosted Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the first leg, while Thailand’s Bangkok United met defending J-League winners Yokohama F. Marinos. The quarter-finals onwards will continue to separate east and west, with the final taking place over two legs on May 11 or 18.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
