Will the global side back down from its stance? Officially: the AFC sets a date for the postponed Al-Nassr v Al-Wasl match
The Asian Football Confederation has settled the controversy over the fate of the postponed clash between Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr and the UAE's Al-Wasl, in the third-round matches of the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite, after officially announcing a new date for the fixture to be held.
The continental federation have set Sunday 27 December as the new date for the fixture at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, kick-off at seven o'clock in the evening. The two teams had originally been due to meet on Monday 26 October, according to Arriyadiyah newspaper, which reported the news on Wednesday afternoon.
That earlier postponement came after the Emirati side Al-Wasl were unable to travel to Riyadh to play the match on its original date, amid reports of difficulties over the team's travel arrangements to the Kingdom. The decision sparked angry reactions in Saudi sporting circles, especially as the game was due to be played on Al-Nassr's ground. The club had been preparing to host their opponents and, according to their officials, denied that any obstacles existed.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation responded with a statement of their own. They confirmed that all conditions and arrangements had been put in place to receive the Al-Wasl delegation as normal, pointing to the readiness of the Saudi side to host the match and the absence of anything that would have prevented the Emirati team from arriving and playing on the set date.
Al-Nassr then launched their own official steps to establish exactly why the match had been called off. Arriyadiyah revealed earlier that the club had written to the Asian Football Confederation, demanding clarification of the reasons behind the decision not to hold the match on its date, and providing documents to support their position on the arrangements for receiving the Emirati delegation.
Attached to that letter were documents proving the club had obtained the landing permits and official approvals required to receive Al-Wasl's plane in Riyadh. The file also included the flight number of the private plane the Emirati club had previously sent, before changing their decision about travelling to the Saudi capital, the newspaper reported.
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Al-Nassr's move did not stop at requesting clarifications. The club confirmed their intention to pursue every available legal procedure to protect their rights and claim the points from the match, in coordination with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
Al-Nassr sit seventh in the West group of the AFC Champions League Elite with 6 points, having won twice and lost once. Al-Wasl are eleventh on 3 points, with one win and two defeats.
The December fixture carries real competitive weight. Al-Nassr need fresh points to strengthen their push for qualification, while Al-Wasl are chasing a result to revive their hopes of reaching the next stage, with the race for the eight knockout places allocated to the West clubs heating up. The date may now be fixed, but Al-Nassr's claim for the points remains live, pending the outcome of the procedures they have begun before the relevant authorities.
