Al-Nassr return to action in the AFC Champions League when they face the Iranian team Esteghlal on Tuesday at Al Rashid Stadium.

The last meeting between the two teams in this competition took place in May 2011 Farhad Majidi And Hawar Mulla Mohammed scored second-half goals to give the Capital Blues a 2-1 comeback win in Group B.

Game preview

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Esteghlal were brought back down to earth in the new Iranian Pro League season when they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Zob Ahan when the two teams met at Shahre Qods Stadium on Friday.

After a relatively uneventful first half Majid Aliyari showed an impressive individual performance by scoring on both sides Omid LatifiThe 70th-minute goal inspired Zob Ahan to a comfortable victory and left the Capital Blues empty-handed.

Previously, Esteghlal ended their run of four consecutive league games without a win on October 5 when they beat Havadar 2-1 thanks to first-half goals Raphael Silva And Mehrdad Mohammadi.

Sohrab BakhtiarizadehThe men of , who are 11th in the Pro League table with eight points from their first seven games, now turn their focus to the AFC Champions League, where they have shared results in their first two games in the West.

Esteghlal started the 2024-25 Champions League season with a convincing 3-0 win over Al-Gharafa on September 16, two weeks before suffering a 2-0 defeat in the second of two consecutive meetings against the Qatari team had to accept sides against Al-Sadd.

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Al-Nassr, on the other hand, continued their push to the top of the Saudi Pro League standings with a 2-1 win over Al-Shabab at the Al-Shabab Club Stadium.

Ali Al Hassan scored an own goal to equalize in the 90th minute Aymeric LaporteThe start in the 69th minute and after Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Shabab man held his nerve and converted his penalty in the 97th minute to give the visitors the lead for the second time in the game Abderrazak Hamdallah In the 13th minute of stoppage time, he failed to score a goal from the opponent's penalty spot.

Al-Nassr now has six wins in all competitions, including a 2-1 win over Al Hazem in the round of 32 of the King's Cup on September 23, and is unbeaten in ten games in a row, with seven wins and three Draw won since a 4-1 defeat against Al-Hilal in the Supercup on August 17th.

The Global One, who are currently in third place, four points off the top the Pro League standingsare now returning to the Championship League, where they have picked up four points from their first two games.

After a somewhat disappointing 1-1 draw against Al-Shorta in the group opening game on September 16, goals stopped Sadio Mane and Ronaldo saw Al-Nassr take maximum points two weeks later when they beat Al-Rayyan 2-1 at Al-Awwal Park.

Next for Stefano PioliThe 2011 Men's Challenge is a challenge to an opposition team they faced in the Champions League in 2011, when the two teams recorded split results in their two Group B encounters.

Al-Nassr fought back from behind to secure a 2-1 home win thanks to goals in their first meeting on March 15 Hussain Abdul Ghani And Abdulrahman Al Qahtanitwo months before the 2-1 defeat in the second leg.

Esteghlal AFC Champions League form:

Esteghlal form (all competitions):

Al-Nassr AFC Champions League form:

Al-Nassr form (all competitions):

Team news

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Esteghlal will take the field without the duo Mehdi Mehdipour and defenders Abolfazl Jalaliwho are out due to cruciate ligament or thigh injuries.

Imam Salimi has been out of action since his injury against Al-Sadd in September and will not play a role in Tuesday's clash Roozbeh Cheshmi is currently recovering from a tibia and fibula injury.

With his winner against Al-Shabab on Friday, Ronaldo scored his 907th career goal and his 12th for club and country in 14 games this season and the 39-year-old will be looking to achieve the feat again.

He was supposed to join the Al-Nassr attack Anderson Talisca, Angelo and former Liverpool striker Mane, while we should see a back four of Salem AlnajdiLaporte, Mohamed Simakan, Nawaf Boushal.

Due to injury, Pioli cannot rely on the 27-year-old's services Sami Al-Najeiwho has to take a long break after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in August.

Possible Esteghlal starting lineup:
Khaledabadi; Moradmand, Silva, Fallah: Rezaeian, Kakuta, N'Dong, Zakipour; Eslami, Mohammadi, Blanco

Possible starting lineup for Al-Nassr:
Salem Alnajdi, Laporte, Sikiman, Boushal; Brozovic, Alkhaibari; Mane, Talisca, Angelo; Ronaldo

We say: Esteghlal 1-3 Al-Nassr

While Esteghlal will look to find their feet and get their Champions League campaign underway on Tuesday, they have their work cut out for them against a formidable Al Nassr side who will be looking to climb to the top of the table in the West.

Pioli's men are firing on all cylinders at the moment and with Ronaldo showing no signs of slowing down, we're backing them to take all three points at Al Rashid Stadium.

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