Al Ittihad won in 2004 and 2005 before their hopes of an ACL hat-trick ended at the hands of Korean opposition when they lost 2-1 to Pohang Steelers in 2009, the first final to be played over one leg and at a neutral venue.
And the Tigers from Jeddah might have to face Korean opposition all the way to the final, with the eight-time Saudi Arabian champions slated to play the winners of the intriguing quarter-final clash between the only Japanese side remaining Cerezo Osaka and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in a match that reunites the two qualifiers from Group G.
Cerezo claimed an impressive Round of 16 victory over neighbours Gamba, with Daisuke Takashi’s goal two minutes enough to see the ACL debutants advance at the expense of the 2008 champions, who joined fellow Japanese sides Kashima Antlers and Nagoya Grampus in an early exit from the competition.
Jeonbuk, the only other side in the last eight to have claimed the coveted ACL trophy, are statistically the strongest side in the competition, boasting the joint-best attack (having scored 17 times in 7 games along with Sepahan) and the best defence, with just two goals conceded.
However, one of those came courtesy of Cerezo in their 1-0 win in Osaka on Matchday 3 and with Jeonbuk matching that winning score two weeks later in Korea, the last eight meeting between the East Asians could be one of the closest fought of all the quarter-finals.
Korea Republic’s third quarter-finalists, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, twice winners of the Asian Club Championship and Asian Super Cup, have yet to taste ACL glory, and they will be hoping the 2011 ACL’s leading-scorer Ha Tae-goon can add to his tally of six and take them to the semi-final stage for the first time having reached the quarter-finals last time out after falling in the Round of 16 in 2009 and the Group Stage in 2005.
Standing in the way of the Bluewings are last year’s ACL runners-up Zob Ahan while their Esfahan neighbours Sepahan, who missed out on continental glory when they lost the 2007 final to Urawa Reds, take on tournament regulars Al Sadd.
The Doha giants, the only side from Qatar to have won an AFC competition, winning the 1988 Asian Club Championship, have participated in all but one edition of the AFC Champions League since its inception in 2003.
AFC Champions League 2011 – Knockout Stage Draw
Quarter-finals
QF1 Cerezo Osaka (JPN) v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (KOR)
QF2 Al Ittihad (KSA) v FC Seoul (KOR)
QF3 Sepahan (IRN) v Al Sadd (QAT)
QF4 Suwon Samsung Bluewings (KOR) v Zob Ahan (IRN)
Semi-finals
SF 1 Winner QF4 v Winner QF3
SF 2 Winner QF2 v Winner QF1
Final
Winner SF2 v Winner SF1
The first leg of the AFC Champions League 2011 quarter-finals take place on September 14, while the return fixtures of quarter-finals one and two will be played on September 27 with the second leg of quarter-finals three and four scheduled for the following day.