Al-Duhail - Al-Hilal

And once again with Al Sadd in the playoffs, this team never stops with their strong offense and solid defense, as seen in their recent match against Al Hilal where the score was 3-3 after regular time. Today their opponent in the Quarterfinals will be Japan's Kobe, who secured their place after the group stage. Kobe's current form is strong, although they don't have 10 well-known immigrants like Al Sadd, they still have a high level of football and their offense has been particularly good recently. I see a sure bet for both teams, my prediction is at least a 2-1 result for either side.

The quarter-finals, the match will take place in Saudi Arabia. Even if it's a knock-out stage from one game, the coefficient for goals looks large for Al Sadd. The team lives and dies with their attack. The 3-3 against Hilal was a fantastic match, once again led by attackers Akram Afif, Mujica, Firmino, Claudinho, and Soria, who probably played the game of his life, contributing to one of the biggest upsets of the season by defeating the tournament favorite. Interestingly, Al Sadd did not make a single substitution in the entire 120 minutes. In attack, they may feel the effects of fatigue, with only Firmino playing above the 30m line, but their defense, with a main base at around 35m, should hold up well. The Japanese opponent may not be favorable for this purpose. With the appointment of German coach Skibbe a couple of months ago, Kobe has seen an increase in attacking play, aggression, and pressure, trying to quickly transition from defense to offense. Al Sadd defenders, especially someone like Pedro Miguel, love to run forward. The Japanese can take advantage of this. I think both teams have what it takes to score against each other. Al Sadd's attack is in great form, but their defense is shaky, and Kobe's offense has also been playing well lately, plus they are regaining a couple of important experienced forwards who can make a difference in a game like this. I think the total score will be high for these teams.