Al-Ittihad begin AFC Champions League Elite campaign with En-Nesyri and Aouar in Vissing’s starting side

Al-Ittihad manager Jens Vissing has named Youssef En-Nesyri and Houssem Aouar in his starting line-up for the club’s first competitive match of the new season.

The Saudi side face Al Jazira on Tuesday at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with a place in the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite at stake. The match is being played in the preliminary round of the competition.

En-Nesyri, the Morocco striker, and Algeria international Aouar were both selected despite reports suggesting that German manager Vissing was not fully convinced by either player.

Their inclusion gives Al-Ittihad a recognised international presence in attack and midfield as the club begin their campaign in the continental competition. Vissing’s selection also provides an early indication of the players he intends to trust for the opening official fixture of his tenure with “the Tigers”.

France winger Moussa Diaby is also in the starting line-up. He is joined in the forward line by En-Nesyri and Netherlands winger Steven Bergwijn.

Bergwijn’s selection comes amid reports linking him with a move to German club Bayer Leverkusen during the current summer transfer window. Despite that speculation, he has been chosen to start against Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi.

Vissing has had to make changes in midfield because of a clear shortage of available players in that area. Senegal international Dion Lopy, who recently arrived from Spanish club Almeria, has been selected alongside Aouar.

Young player Farha Al-Shamrani completes the midfield group named by the German coach. Lopy is one of the new arrivals included in the team for the important qualifying match.

He is not the only newcomer involved. Left-back Fares Abdi, who joined from Neom, has also been selected. He is named alongside Portuguese defender Danilo Pereira, Cameroonian player Stefan Keller and Serbian defender Carlo Simic.

The selections underline the mix of established internationals, recent recruits and younger players Vissing has chosen for Al-Ittihad’s first competitive assignment of the season. The match is particularly significant because victory would move the Saudi club closer to securing a place in the league phase of Asia’s elite club competition.

Al-Ittihad’s starting line-up includes:

Youssef En-Nesyri, Houssem Aouar, Moussa Diaby, Steven Bergwijn, Dion Lopy, Farha Al-Shamrani, Fares Abdi, Danilo Pereira, Stefan Keller and Carlo Simic.