Al Ahli are at a crossroads. A frustrating 1-1 draw against Uzbek side Pakhtakor Tashkent in their AFC Champions League Elite opener has deepened concerns about a team that no longer resembles the dominant force that won back-to-back continental titles. Coach Marino Busicic offered explanations after the match, but the performance raised serious questions about whether the club can sustain its position as Asia's top side.

The drop in quality is visible across the pitch. Al Ahli sit sixth in the Saudi Pro League with 12 points from seven games, level with Al Kholood below them, suggesting domestic form is equally unconvincing. The departure of former coach Matias Jaissle has left a gap that Busicic has yet to fill convincingly, and the atmosphere among supporters has cooled noticeably.

Striker Ivan Toney leads the Saudi Pro League scoring charts with 10 goals, providing one genuine bright spot, but a reported setback involving the English forward has added to the club's anxieties heading into their biggest match of the month.

That match arrives on Saturday, 19 September, when Al Ahli travel to Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria to face Mamelodi Sundowns in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup quarter-final. The winner claims a continental title spanning Africa, Asia and Oceania. For Busicic, it is an opportunity to silence critics. For the club, it is a chance to rediscover the winning identity that has defined their recent history.