JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- Circumstances conspiring to make his Al Nassr almost-unbackable favourites in their AFC Champions League Elite semifinal against Kawasaki Frontale, coach Stefano Pioli says his side are fit, firing and ready to embrace the opportunity to break their continental hoodoo.
A brace from Jhon Durán adding to goals from Sadio Mané and Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr breezed past Yokohama F. Marinos in their quarterfinal on Saturday, ensuring there would be no repeat of last season when they were knocked out in the last eight by eventual winners Al Ain.
Wednesday's game at King Abdullah Sports City will mark the third time in the past five years that Al Nassr has reached the final four of the ACLE but on both of these previous occasions they fell short, losing to Saudi Pro League rivals Al Hilal in 2021 and falling in a penalty shootout against Iranian giants Persepolis in 2020.
In 2025, however, fielding a galaxy of stars in a squad valued at approximately US$200 million with global superstar Ronaldo as its core, the Riyadh-based side entered this year's tournament widely expected to reach their first final since 1995, when they lost 1-0 in extra time to Korean side Ilhwa Chunma (now Seongnam FC).
These forecasts have only been magnified by the Asian Football Confederation staging the first iteration of the centralised ACLE Finals format in Saudi Arabia and opponents Kawasaki having one fewer day to prepare than their opponents, after going 120 minutes in their quarterfinal win over Al Saad on Sunday.
Perhaps providing an omen, Al Nassr has already won one continental crown this week, claiming the first iteration of the AFC eChampions League Elite.
Speaking through an interpreter, Pioli -- who has been linked with a move to Serie A side Roma -- confirmed his side wouldn't carry any fitness concerns into Wednesday's clash and that they were ready to embrace the "privilege" of being under pressure.
"It is an honour to be in a semifinal," said Pioli. "I'm sure the team will do its best. We are confident in this team. We trust them. We need the whole group of them to qualify for the final. It is an honour for me to be in this match.
"The level of our team is escalating. We're doing our best to prepare to be at our best. The results of the Saudi teams reflect the trends of the Saudi league."
With Al Hilal and Al Ahli set to meet in the ACLE's first semifinal on Tuesday evening, J1 League outfit Kawasaki is the lone remaining club from the East region in the competition.
The preeminent power in Japanese football during the 2010s, winning four league titles between 2017 and 2021, a J.League Cup, three Super Cups, and two Emperor's Cups, 2025 is the first time Azzurro Nero has reached the final four of Asia's premier club tournament.
And while their coach Shigetoshi Hasebe has repeatedly spoken of challenging perceptions of it being a fait accompli that the title will be heading to Saudi Arabia, he also cautioned against placing the weight of an entire region on his side's shoulders on Tuesday.
"We are representatives from [the] East Asian clubs, but we are also just a club from Japan, " he said through an interpreter.
"We cannot have that kind of responsibility, as a representative from the Eastern side. We just focus on tomorrow's game to win. That's all we can do.
"The result is everything. [Saudi Arabia] invests a lot in football right now; that's why three teams are in the semifinals. But, for me, we're playing football. Nobody knows what's going to happen tonight or tomorrow.
"Many people think the Saudi teams are going to win. I want to break that type of perception tomorrow night.
Lacking the sheer star power of their opposition, Hasebe flagged the ability of his side to function as a collective unit as being key to their unlikely hopes of an upset, as well as not being overawed by the occasion.
"The key point is not to be afraid of the famous players," midfielder Kento Tachibanada said.
Joey Lynch is in Jeddah reporting on the AFC Champions League Elite Finals as a guest of the Asian Football Confederation.