All eyes will be on Jordan’s Al Wehdat as they kick off their inaugural AFC Champions League campaign against hosts Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia in their opening Group D tie on Wednesday.

Head coach Abdullah Abu Zema will not only be carrying the burden of leading Al Wehdat but also the hopes of Jordanian fans, as they make history by becoming the first club from the country to play in the AFC Champions League group stage.

Al Nassr, meanwhile, are regular contenders in the AFC Champions League, having made the semi-finals last year before losing to Islamic Republic of Iran’s Persepolis on penalties.

Al Wehdat, however, won’t be lacking in confidence in their maiden campaign, having added the Jordanian Super Cup last week to the 2020 league title, where they impressed with a record of 18 wins out of 22 matches.

The Jordanian club will aim to carry that form into the tie at the King Saud University Stadium, having failed to reach the group stage in five previous attempts since the 2002-03 edition.

“This is the first participation for Al Wehdat, and for a Jordanian club in the AFC Champions League, which puts a lot of responsibility on us,” Abu Zema said.

“We have the same hopes as the other teams in the group, and we want to prove ourselves and qualify from the group.

“We trust in the abilities of our players, and I have full confidence of what they will produce in the matches.”

Al Nassr will head into the AFC Champions League off an inconsistent domestic season which sees them fifth in the standings and with newly-appointed head coach Mano Menezes yet to take charge of them in a competitive tie.

Assistant head coach Florian Cioroianu, meanwhile, will be leading the team against Al Wehdat, with the Romanian saying his focus is on making sure Al Nassr enjoy a good start to their 2021 campaign.

“It’s an important match tomorrow, not just for me but for the team,” said Cioroianu. “We hope to win. We want to start well in this competition.”