The curtain has fallen on the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025, and perhaps the dominant feature was the dominance of Saudi clubs.
The round of 16 in the new Champions League system is played in a home and away system, and it is the only one like this before heading to the quarter-finals.
Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the quarter-final and semi-final matches, in addition to the final match scheduled to be held at the Jewel Stadium.
For the first time, the quarter-final matches will be played in a single match between a team from the East and another from the West instead of waiting for the two sides to face each other in the final.
A draw will be held on March 17 to determine the matches, in which two teams from the West will not meet each other and vice versa.
Teams qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025
4 Arab clubs from the West qualified for the quarter-finals, the first of which was Al-Sadd of Qatar after beating Al-Wasl of the Emirates.
The remaining three are Saudi, starting with Al-Nasr who crossed through the gate of Esteghlal Tehran, passing through Al-Ahli at the expense of Al-Rayyan of Qatar, and finally Al-Hilal after defeating Pakhtakor 4-1 on aggregate.
From the East, there is more diversity, as two teams qualified from Japan, one from China, and one from Thailand.
The Japanese duo are Yokohama F. Marinos and Vissel Kobe, in addition to Shanghai Shenhua of China and Buriram United of Thailand.
Clubs qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2025 AFC Champions League quarter-finals
Al-Sadd (Qatar)
Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Al-Nasr (Saudi Arabia)
Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia)
Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan)
Vissel Kobe (Japan)
Buriram United (Thailand)
Shanghai Shenhua (China)
