Speaking exclusively to the-AFC.com, Xavi expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance at the Azadi Stadium, adding that Al Sadd were much better than their hosts.

"I think we did well but there's one more game," said the 38-year-old World Cup winner. "It could be just 90 minutes or it could even go to extra time. We don't know; in football, we never know.

"At least, we did a really good job in Tehran. It was a very good performance and I think we were much better than Esteghlal, especially in the second half. Also, in the first half, we could have scored at least one goal."

I am happy with our attacking intent. This is the fifth match I scored two goals, but nothing is over yet. We went 50% of the way, but there is another 50% to go in Doha in the return leg.

Baghdad Bounedjah may be the 2018 AFC Champions League's leading scorer, but the Al Sadd striker is intent on avoiding complacency, despite the side holding a 3-1 advantage over Esteghlal after the first leg in Tehran.

Esteghlal, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Persepolis and Tianjin Quanjian all face tough tasks ahead of the second legs in just over two weeks' time, before which the-AFC.com looks back at the numbers that caught the eye as the competition entered the last eight.

We picked four great goals from this week's games for you to select your favourite.

The Algerian bagged a brace to help the 2011 AFC Champions League winners come from behind to defeat Esteghlal 3-1 at Azadi Stadium.

Young goalkeeper Meshaal Aissa failed to control a backpass, allowing the ball to go under him and into the back of the net to gift Esteghlal the opener.

Two of this year’s last eight faced-off in the 2011 final, with Al Sadd overcoming Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on penalties to become the first, and to date, the only Qatari side to win the AFC Champions League. Seven years on from that night in Jeonju, we look at where each of the 14 Al Sadd players who took part in that game are today.

For the first time since the introduction of the East v West final in 2013, all four teams in the West Asian quarter-finals come from just two countries, offering us the opportunity to watch two tasty IR Iran v Qatar encounters, as Tehran giants Estaghlal and Persepolis face Al Sadd and Al Duhail respectively.

Throughout the years, teams from the two nations have produced some classics when they met. Here are four memorable matches between them from recent editions of the competition.