Ahead of West Asia's Round of 16 first leg encounters, the-AFC.com looks at eight players who could make the difference for their respective teams.

Youth is the name of the game in West Asia this year as six of the eight AFC Champions League Round of 16 sides are led by head coaches younger than 50. With four new appointments and four continuing from the group stage, we are set to see some mouthwatering tactical battles over the next two weeks.

As a hot summer across West Asia comes to an end, it has also been a heated season in the transfer market. The eight teams from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar bolstered their ranks with exciting signings who hope to start with a bang as teams kick-off their season with the 2019 AFC Champions League Round of 16 matches in August.

Ahead of the Round of 16, the quartet of Guangzhou Evergrande, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Kashima Antlers and Urawa Red Diamonds in the East Zone had all won the coveted trophy, while in the West, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad and Al Sadd had done likewise.

With two-time winners Jeonbuk having now departed, there are five former AFC Champions League winners still in the mix. Three of those sides, meanwhile, will look to create history by becoming the first team to lift the trophy on three occasions – the-AFC.com takes a closer look at the trio.

The livewire Brazilian joined Al Ittihad from Emirati outfit Al Jazira in 2018, having scored six times in that year’s edition of the AFC Champions League.

After initially struggling to find his feet with his new employers, Romarinho was soon grabbing headlines galore thanks to the seven goals he went on to bag in the Saudi Pro League and when he scored in each of Al Ittihad’s last three group stage games in the AFC Champions League.

Al Duhail are scheduled to meet rivals Al Sadd SC over two legs in the AFC Champions League Round of 16 on August 6 and 13, before facing the same opponents when their latest domestic campaign gets underway with the Qatari Super Cup on August 17.

Despite the hectic nature of football’s modern-day calendar, Ali has targetted nothing but success for the side which finished as runners-up to Al Sadd in last season’s Qatar Stars League standings, but exacted a degree of revenge by comprehensively claiming the Amir of Qatar Cup title.

The 45-year-old Dutch tactician took over from compatriot Henk Ten Cate in June, and has been using the camp to familiarise himself with the players.