Criticism of Saudi Teams’ Dominance in Asia
Attack on AFC: You Are the Enemy of East Asia!
Japanese publication ‘Soccer Digest’ criticized the current format of the AFC Champions League and the overwhelming superiority of Saudi teams!
According to reports, on April 27, Al-Nassr defeated Yokohama F. Marinos 4-1 in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Al-Nassr fielded all their star players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, Anderson Talisca, and Marcelo Brozović, who have experience in top European leagues. Yokohama started aggressively but struggled against Al-Nassr’s individual brilliance.
In the 27th minute, Al-Nassr scored the opener. Ronaldo dribbled past a defender and crossed the ball, which Mané directed toward the goal. After a deflection, Talisca tapped it in. Four minutes later, Al-Nassr doubled their lead through a counterattack, with Ronaldo assisting Otávio, who set up Mané for a precise finish.
Yokohama collapsed defensively. In the 38th minute, Brozović’s shot deflected off a defender, and Ronaldo calmly scored the rebound—his 934th career goal. The first half ended 3-0.
Yokohama made attacking changes but conceded again early in the second half. Otávio’s shot was saved, but Talisca scored the rebound to complete his brace. Yokohama managed a consolation goal through substitute Kota Watanabe, but he was later sent off, ending their hopes.
Al-Nassr advanced to the semifinals with a dominant 4-1 win. Earlier, Guangzhou Evergrande lost 7-0 to Al-Hilal, and Buriram United fell 3-0 to Al-Ahli. Saudi teams, backed by unlimited foreign signings and heavy investments, now field formidable squads.
Unlike previous editions, this season’s AFC Champions League features single-leg matches, mostly held in Saudi Arabia—a clear advantage for West Asian teams.
‘Soccer Digest’ wrote: “After Guangzhou and Buriram, Yokohama also collapsed. The scary part is that three of the four semifinalists are Saudi clubs. This is no longer the AFC Champions League but the Saudi Cup. The main issue is that fairness has been lost, and the tournament is structured to favor Saudi Arabia.”
The outlet added: “Perhaps this was AFC’s plan from the start—to ensure West Asian teams progress while East Asian teams are eliminated one by one, disregarding fairness.”
