Al-Ittihad edged to the brink of an Asian abyss on Monday afternoon. The Saudi club face a test with no margin for error against hosts Navbahor Fergana of Uzbekistan, a clash that could decide their fate early in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Special sources revealed to the Saudi newspaper "Arriyadiyah" that tensions have flared inside the Al-Ameed camp just hours before kick-off. German coach Jens Wissing has decided to delay naming his starting line-up until the final technical meeting, hoping to throw the opposition off balance and keep his cards hidden.
His next move stunned everyone. Wissing dropped international striker Saleh Al-Shehri and midfielder Rakan Al-Kaabi from the match squad entirely, a decision that signals his frustration with their level and his intention to deliver a jolt to the team.
Al-Ameed arrive at the Fergana Stadium as heavy visitors, kicking off at 04:45 pm Mecca time in the third round of the continental tournament.
Pressure weighs heavily on the Jeddah side. They sit 11th with a single point, scraped from a disappointing 1-1 draw against Al-Shamal of Qatar before falling 2-1 to Shabab Al-Ahli of the UAE.
The Uzbek side come in with brighter morale. Navbahor occupy seventh place with 3 points, having opened their campaign with a valuable 1-0 win over Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya of Iraq before losing 3-1 to Al-Nassr.