Aouar Returns to Al-Ittihad for AFC Champions League Elite

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

Head coach Jens Wissing confirmed that Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar is ready to play against Qatar’s Al-Shamal in the AFC Champions League Elite, ending any doubts over his fitness on the eve of the group-stage opener.

Al-Ittihad travel to Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on Monday for the first round of the league phase, and Wissing used his pre-match press conference, as reported by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, to deliver the update the club’s fans wanted to hear: Aouar is available.

The 26-year-old missed Al-Ittihad’s last game, a 3-1 victory over Al-Faisaly on Friday in the seventh round of the Saudi Roshn League. His absence did not derail the result, but it did highlight how important he has already become to Wissing’s structure.

Now he is back, and the timing could hardly be better.

Since arriving from Roma in the summer of 2024, Aouar has quickly grown into one of Al-Ittihad’s standout performers. Operating between the lines, linking midfield to attack, he has given “the Tigers” a different rhythm in possession and a sharper edge around the box.

The numbers back it up. Aouar has featured eight times across all competitions this season, scoring twice and providing one assist. For a new signing still bedding into a different league and culture, that output underlines why his return is being treated as a major boost rather than a routine inclusion.

Al-Ittihad now walk into the Asian spotlight with their creative heartbeat restored. How far can Wissing’s side go in this new-look AFC Champions League Elite with Aouar pulling strings from the start?