As part of Ali Khaled’s 2015 Asian Champions League preview ahead of Tuesday night’s start to group play, he breaks down the chances of the two remaining Arabian Gulf League clubs, Al Ain and Al Ahli, as well as the other challengers for Asia’s highest club honour. Below, Ali looks at the rest of the teams who have qualified for the group stage.
*Appearances are counted since tournament’s re-branding in 2002
Group A
Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Professional League champions; 2nd appearance
Lekhwiya (Qatar): Qatar Stars League champions; 4th appearance
Persepolis (Iran): Iran Pro League runners-up; 5th appearance
Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan): Uzbek League 4th place; 8th appearance
Group prediction: Bunyodkor, who eliminated Al Jazira in the play-off round, and Persepolis will provide tough opposition. Still, the 2013/14 champions of Saudi Arabia and Qatar will be expected to make the round of 16. Wins for Al Nassr and Lekhwiya in the opening matches could set the tone for the group.
Player to watch: Mohammed Al Sahlawi (Al Nassr). One of the few players to emerge from Saudi Arabia's poor Asian Cup campaign with credit, after scoring twice against North Korea and once against Uzbekistan.
Group B
Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan): Uzbek League champions; 12th appearance
Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Champions Cup; 9th appearance
Al Ain (UAE): UAE President’s Cup winners; 10th appearance
– See here for Ali Khaled’s detailed look at Al Ain
Naft Tehran (Iran): Iran Pro League 3rd place; 1st appearance
Group prediction: With the memory of last season's run to the semi-finals still painfully fresh, Al Ain should have enough experience and strength in depth to negotiate this group comfortably, provided their best players avoid injury and exhaustion. The other spot is up for grabs. Al Shabab have underperformed domestically this season and lie in fifth position in the Saudi League. Pakhtakor, despite underperforming in 2013 and not taking part in this competition last year, will see this as a big chance to progress. Any team leading the Iranian domestic league deserves to be taken seriously, but a lack of experience at this level should see Naft Tehran miss out on progress to the knockout stages.
Player to watch: Naif Hazazi (Al Shabab). In the absence of 2014 Asian footballer of the year Nasser Al Shamrani, the 26-year-old Hazazi led the Saudi attack at the Asian Cup. Despite the team's early exit, the striker distinguished himself by scoring against North Korea in a 4-1 win. His club will demand a similar leading role.
Group C
Foolad (Iran): Iran Pro League champions; 3rd appearance
Lokomotiv Tashkent (Uzbekistan): Uzbekistan Cup winners; 3rd appearance
Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Professional League runners-up; 11th appearance
Al Sadd (Qatar): Emir of Qatar Cup winners; 10th appearance
Group prediction: Last year's finalists, Al Hilal of Saudi, will expect to advance to the knockout rounds again. They should be joined by an excellent Al Sadd team who, in the final play-off round earlier this month, overcame Al Wahda on penalties after an epic 4-4 match in Abu Dhabi.
Player to watch: Khalfan Ibrahim (Al Sadd). The 2006 Asian Footballer of the year (and third in the 2014 voting) has been in sensational form, scoring a hat-trick against Wahda.
Group D
Al Ahli (UAE): Arabian Gulf League champions; 6th appearance
– See here for Ali Khaled’s detailed look at Al Ahli
Tractor Sazi (Iran): Hafzi Cup winners; 3rd appearance
Nasaf Qarshi (Uzbekistan): Uzbek League 3rd place; 3rd appearance
Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Professional League 3rd place; 7th appearance
Group prediction: On current form, Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia will be favourites to progress to the last 16 despite needing to come through the qualifying round. The situation of their namesakes from Dubai is far more difficult to read. Despite their poor league form and the turmoil engulfing the club, the squad still has enough talent in it to win big matches on their day. Nasaf Qarshi and Tractor Sazi are still relatively inexperienced at this level. Both sides are capable of causing an upset or two, especially if Al Ahli of Dubai continue to underperform, but a repeat of their previous finishes is more likely.
Player to watch: Andranik Teymourian (Tractor Sazi). The veteran, who played in the English Premier League with Bolton Wanderers, is one of the most experienced players for club and country. Played in all three of Iran's matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and his performances at the Asian Cup showed he can still mix it with the continent's best.
Group E
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea): K-League Classic champions; 9th appearance
Shandong Luneng Taishan (China): Chinese FA Cup winners; 7th appearance
Becamex Binh Duong (Vietnam): V-League champions; 2nd appearance
Kashiwa Reysol (Japan): J-League 4th place; 3rd appearance
Group prediction: South Korean champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, winners in 2006 and losing finalists in 2011, have the form, pedigree and experience to qualify for the round of 16. They should be joined by 2013 semi-finalists Kashiwa Reysol, who finished fourth in the Japanese league last season.
Player to watch: Han Kyo-won (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors). The 24-year-old striker was his club's only representative in South Korea's squad at the Asian Cup, and he started the semi-final against Iraq. One of the country's new generation of players.
Group F
Gamba Osaka (Japan): J-League and Emperor’s Cup champions; 7th appearance
Seongnam FC (South Korea): Korean FA Cup champions; 6th appearance
Buriram United (Thailand): Thai Premier League champions; 5th appearance
Guangzhou R&F (China): Chinese Super League 3rd place; 1st appearance
Group prediction: Qualification to the last 16 should be a formality for Gamba Osaka, 2014 treble winners in Japan: league, League Cup and Emperor's Cup. As in Group E, the Japanese should be joined by a South Korean team, Seongnam FC. The two should prove too strong for Guangzhou R&F and Buriram United.
Player to watch: Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka). One of the legends of Asian football, the 35-year-old Endo has won the lot with club and country, including the Asian Champions League in 2008 and the Asian Cup in 2004 and 2011.
Group G
Brisbane Roar (Australia): A-League Grand Final winners; 3rd appearance
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan): J-League runners-up; 4th appearance
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea): K-League Classic runners-up; 6th appearance
Beijing Guoan (China): Chinese Super League runners-up; 7th appearance
Group prediction: Urawa Red Diamonds, champions of this competition in 2007, should clinch one of the two qualifying spots, leaving Suwon Samsung and relative newcomers Brisbane Roar to fight over the second one, with experience and form favouring the 2001 and 2002 winners from South Korea.
Player to watch: Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar). McKay was part of the Australia squad that won the Asian Cup last month and, at 32, this will be one of his few remaining chances to play at this level.
Group H
Guangzhou Evergrande (China): Chinese Super League champions; 4th appearance
Western Sydney Wanderers (Australia): A-League runners-up; 2nd appearance
Kashima Antlers (Japan): J-League 3rd place; 6th appearance
FC Seoul (South Korea): K-League Classic 3rd place; 5th appearance
Group prediction: It is a great time for Australian football, with the Asian Cup triumph following on from Western Sydney Wanderers' 2014 Champions League win. The holders will be favourites to progress, with FC Seoul most likely to join them in the round of 16, although Fabio Cannavaro's Guangzhou, the 2013 champions, are dangerous.
Player to watch: Tomi Juric (Western Sydney Wanderers). One of Australia's heroes in the Asian Cup triumph, Juric was introduced in the second half of the final against South Korea and went on to set up James Troisi's extra-time winner.
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