Al Hilal vs Al Gharafa

Al Hilal open their AFC Champions League Elite campaign at home to Al-Gharafa, and there is plenty riding on this one early. As four-time continental champions, Al Hilal are expected to top their West-region group, and they arrive as league leaders in Saudi Arabia. Al-Gharafa, by contrast, sit mid-table in the Qatar Stars League and will see this as a chance to make an early statement. Form heavily favors the hosts. Al Hilal have won all five league matches this season, scoring 15 goals while conceding just once, with Ruben Neves dictating play and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic leading the scoring charts. Al-Gharafa, under Pedro Martins, have been patchier, beating Al-Shahania before losing to Al-Sadd in the Qatar Cup semi-final, and will lean on forwards Joselu and Florinel Coman for a result. History also favors Al Hilal, who have won six of their last eight meetings with Al-Gharafa since 2010. Our prediction: 3-1