Wolves looking for first Asian Champions League win against Hilal.

Al Sadd are looking to bounce back from domestic defeat to league rivals Lekhwiya at the weekend, when they take on Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. 

Head Coach Houssaine Ammouta will be hoping that his side can reap revenge against Al-Hilal, the side that dumped them out of last year’s AFC Champions League at the quarter final stage. 

AlHilal are currently in a state of flux, having just appointed Greek head coach Giorgios Donis. The former Greece international took over the helm of last year’s AFC Champions League finalists last week following the departure of Romanian Laurentiu Reghecampf. With the the former APOEL and AEK Athens coach looking for an instant impact from his new side.

“Our ambition is to get back to Riyadh with a victory especially because we have what it takes to get a positive result. I have seen many of Al Hilal’s matches and I’m confident that the players will have a good performance.”

 Talking ahead of tonight’s game at Jassim Bin Hamad stadium, Donis was clear that his side has prepared well for the match. “We have studied Al Sadd very well and we know a lot of things about them. The AFC Champions League is important for Al Hilal and although I only took charge of the team for a few days, I know a lot of things about the team as well,” said Al Hilal coach Donis, who observed Al Hilal’s 2-0 win over Narjan at the weekend in the Saudi Pro League.

Another Greek to look out for will be Hilal’s striker Georgas Samaras who looked lively in his side’s first AFC Champions League meeting of the season, which was a comfortable 3-1 home win against Locomotive Uzbekistan. 

The Wolves will be looking to improve on their goalless draw away to Iranian Champions Foolad Khouzestan on match day one. With the 2011 AFC champions league winners looking to the improving form of playmaker Khalfan Ibrahim, who is slowly returning back to his best form after suffering a knee injury in November. 

Sadd will be without defender Mohammed Kasola who will miss the visit of Al Hilal through suspension after he was sent-off in the play-off match against Emirati club Al Wahda. “We will also miss Mohammed Kasola but this doesn’t affect us as we have good players as well.”

“We are playing against the runners-up of the competition who have good qualities especially in the attack. The small details will settle the match, and although Al Hila arel missing some key players, they have good replacements,” said Al Sadd coach Ammouta.

“I hope that the players will concentrate on the match it will not be easy and we can’t afford to make any mistakes.”