Preview: Al Ittihad Club (KSA) v Al Gharafa SC (QAT)

[(Al Ittihad Jeddah) Strength]:
1. Al Ittihad Jeddah's home performance has been highly reliable, with 8 wins and 2 losses in their last 10 official home matches, boasting an 80% win rate.

[(Al Ittihad Jeddah) Neutral]:
1. The two teams have never faced each other before, making this match their first-ever encounter in history.

[(Al Ittihad Jeddah) Weakness]:
1. During the winter transfer window, Al Ittihad Jeddah lost two star players in succession. Forward Karim Benzema moved to Al Hilal SFC, and midfielder N'Golo Kante joined Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super Lig, severely weakening the team's offensive and defensive capabilities.
2. After Benzema's departure, Al Ittihad Jeddah signed Youssef En-Nesyri to strengthen their attack. However, he has failed to score in 14 consecutive matches for both club and country, clearly struggling to fill the void left by Benzema.
3. In their last league match, Al Ittihad Jeddah lost 2-0 away to Al Nassr FC. They have managed only 2 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses in their last 6 league matches, indicating a significant dip in form.
4. Al Ittihad Jeddah have faced considerable defensive issues recently, conceding 8 goals in their last 6 league matches. They kept a clean sheet only against the league's bottom-placed team, Al Najma.
5. Al Ittihad Jeddah's attack has been somewhat lackluster, scoring only 6 goals in their last 6 league matches, averaging just 1 goal per game.
6. Al Ittihad Jeddah's performance in this season's AFC Champions League Elite has been inconsistent. After 6 matches, they have 3 wins and 3 losses, placing them 6th in the West Region standings.

[(Al-Gharafa SC) Strength]:
1. Al-Gharafa SC's offensive performance has been commendable, scoring 8 goals in their last 5 official matches, averaging 1.6 goals per game.

[(Al-Gharafa SC) Weakness]:
1. Al-Gharafa SC's center-back Dame Traore was sent off with a red card in the previous AFC Champions League Elite match and will be suspended for this game, further compromising the stability of their defense.
2. In their last league match, Al-Gharafa SC lost 1-0 away to Al-Sailiya, extending their losing streak in official competitions to 3 matches, indicating a prolonged period of poor form.
3. Al-Gharafa SC's defense has been full of holes, conceding 10 goals in their last 5 official matches, averaging 2 goals per game, with goals conceded in every match during this period.
4. Al-Gharafa SC's competitiveness in the AFC Champions League Elite is very limited. With 2 wins and 4 losses, they currently rank 9th in the West Region standings.
5. Al-Gharafa SC's away performance in the AFC Champions League Elite has been weak. In this season's AFC Champions League Elite, they have lost all three of their away matches, making their away form a significant weakness.

[Tips]:
Al Ittihad Jeddah's recent form has been declining, with only 2 wins in their last 6 matches. Their performance in both offense and defense has been far from ideal. Coupled with the departure of two star players, the team's strength has been further diminished. Al-Gharafa SC's form is even more dismal, currently on a 3-match losing streak in official competitions, with significant issues in their defense. Their competitiveness in the AFC Champions League Elite is already limited, and they have struggled to secure a win away from home. Although Al Ittihad Jeddah have a strong home record, their home support for this match has been significantly downgraded. There is a clear lack of confidence in their ability to secure a big win, making it advisable to expect Al-Gharafa SC to avoid a heavy defeat away from home.

[Recommended]:
Al-Gharafa SC (+1.5/2)