For the first time: Wijnaldum leads Al-Ittihad against Shabab Al-Ahli, and the return of the Al-Hilal casualties

Will "the Tigers" win?

Foreign players dominated Al-Ittihad's line-up for the clash with the UAE's Shabab Al-Ahli in the AFC Champions League Elite.

Al-Ittihad host Shabab Al-Ahli today, Tuesday, at the Inmaa Stadium in Jeddah, in the second round of the league phase of the Asian competition.

Two players return to the starting line-up: Colombian midfielder Richard Rios and Nigerian forward George Ilenikhena, both of whom missed the recent clasico against traditional rivals Al-Hilal.

German head coach Jens Wissing has also handed Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum his first start since he arrived at the club last summer.

Wijnaldum was the hero of the first match, a 1-1 draw with Qatar's Al-Shamal. He came off the bench with the team a goal down and equalised in stoppage time.

Only two Saudi players made Wissing's starting eleven, both full-backs: Ahmed Al-Julaydan on the right and Fares Abdi on the left. Nine foreign players complete the side.

Al-Ittihad are still chasing their first win in the Asian competition. They sit 11th in the West region with a single point, two behind sixth-placed Shabab Al-Ahli.

Al-Ittihad's line-up is as follows:

Goalkeeper: Predrag Rajkovic

Defence: Ahmed Al-Julaydan, Danilo Pereira, Jan Carlo Simic, Fares Abdi

Midfield: Dion Lopy, Richard Rios, Georginio Wijnaldum

Attack: Steven Bergwijn, Youssef En-Nesyri, George Ilenikhena