[Al Ittihad vs. Al-Hilal] Will the "Tigers" be able to find the keys to the opponent's goal in their home fortress and get back into the game?

Under the guidance of Marcelo Gallardo, the team smoothly navigated through the initial stage of the AFC Champions League playoffs, securing a victory over Navbahor from Uzbekistan across two legs. However, the Saudi Arabian championship presented challenges for the "Tigers" as they faced a series of setbacks in the autumn, causing Al-Ittihad to slip from the top position to the sixth spot. The situation only saw improvement after the championship hiatus, with the "Tigers" climbing to fourth place following four wins in five matches. Notably, on Friday, Marcelo Gallardo's squad triumphed over Al-Ahddud with a scoreline of 2-1.In the prior phase of the AFC Champions League playoffs, Jorge Jesus's team encountered no obstacles against Sepahan. The "Leaders" convincingly secured victories in both matches, each concluding with a scoreline of 3-1. Notably, Al-Hilal is enjoying a highly successful season in the Saudi Pro League, making substantial strides in the championship race. Approaching the match against the "Tigers," Al-Hilal carries the momentum of an away triumph over Al-Riyadh, concluding with a score of 3-1. The last instance of dropped points for Jorge Jesus's squad dates back to the end of September 2023 when they settled for a draw away with Damak. Overall, in 23 matches played, Al-Hilal has only experienced points dropped in two matches, establishing a commanding 12-point lead over the closest competitor in the league standings.