AL DUHAIL VS AL AIN

Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi was in no doubts about the difficulty of his side’s AFC Champions League Round of 16 clash against the hosts Al Ain at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in UAE today.
Duhail went unbeaten to clinch the QNB Stars League title, before defeating Al Sadd to win the Qatar Cup. They are also through to the Amir Cup semi-final, where they will face Sadd again this Friday as they aim for a domestic treble.
But Belmadi has made winning the AFC Champions League has his main objective this season. The Red Knights have never won the premier Asian title before, but they have the personnel to create history this time.
The Qatari champions have won 17 from 17 in all competitions, stretching back to early February. A perfect six wins from six saw Duhail become the first team since Kashima Antlers in 2010 to progress from the group stage with a 100 percent record. The real test for their title credentials, though, starts with a last 16 clash against Al Ain today.
The Emirati side have improved as the tournament has gone on and are chasing a historic treble after winning both the UAE Pro League and the President’s Cup so far in 2018 in a run that has seen them win their last nine games.