Aouar Returns as Al-Ittihad Launch AFC Champions League Campaign

Al-Ittihad head into Asia with a key piece of their midfield puzzle back in place.

Head coach Jens Wissing confirmed that Algerian playmaker Houssem Aouar is ready to return for Monday’s AFC Champions League Elite opener against Qatar’s Al-Shamal at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, in comments carried by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Wissing made it clear: Aouar is fit and available for selection.

That news lands at just the right moment for the Jeddah giants. Aouar missed Al-Ittihad’s last outing, a 3-1 victory over Al-Faisaly on Friday in the seventh round of the Saudi Roshn League, but the team now regain one of their main creative outlets as they step onto the continental stage.

Since arriving from Roma in the summer of 2024, the Algerian international has quickly become one of “the Tigers’” standout performers. His numbers are already backing that up: eight appearances in all competitions, two goals, one assist, and a constant presence between the lines.

For Wissing, that profile matters. Aouar offers control in tight spaces, a passing lane when the game starts to fray, and a threat arriving late in the box. In a group-stage opener away from home, those details often decide whether a team settles early or spends the night chasing rhythm.

Al-Ittihad travel to Al-Shamal with domestic momentum and, now, their Algerian conductor back in the squad. The stage is set at Al Bayt Stadium. How far can this partnership between Wissing and Aouar carry the Saudi side in Asia?