Esteghlal FC vs Al-Nassr FC Prediction: Nassr can't back down now

Al-Nassr will continue their AFC Champions League campaign at the Azadi Stadium as they travel to Iran to face Esteghlal for the first leg of the knockout round. Al-Nassr is in great spirits- although they lost their last league game against a mid-table team- and they’ll aim to continue their beautiful story in Asia as they take on Esteghlal on Monday. Esteghlal, on the other hand, is having a rough time in the Persian Gulf Pro League as they remain 9th in the league table, and there’s no hope of making it to the AFC Champions League next season. Al-Nassr remains our favorite for the win on paper, and we think they’ll not suffer a defeat here. Let’s analyze both teams’ forms, their key stats, and my expert opinion. 

Esteghlal FC

Form across all Competitions: LWWWD

Esteghlal had an average run in the initial round of the AFC Champions League, but it was enough to give them a shot at the knockout round. They finished 6th placed with 2 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses from 8 games played. In their domestic league, Esteghlal remains in the 9th position with 6 wins, 8 draws, and 7 losses from 21 games. The last time they played on this same ground, Al-Nassr won with a narrow 0-1 scoreline. 

Al-Nassr FC

Form across all competitions: LWLDW

Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr suffered a heavy blow against Al-Orobah in their last league game. They lost 2-1 to a mid-table team, and this has jeopardized their chances of a top 2 finish in the Saudi Pro League this season. Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr is also 10 points behind the league leaders, but it’s still a race worth running for Nassr. Their AFC Champions League journey is also good, and they’ll be taking on Estenghal in the knockout round on Monday. Al-Nassr pleaded for a change of venue for this game because the last time the team travelled to Iran, fans attempted to storm the hotel Cristiano Ronaldo stayed in, but their plea was rejected by the Asia football federation. They are currently in 4th place in the league table with 15 wins, four draws, and 4 losses from 23 games. 

Head-To-Head Statistics

A critical look at their last 3 encounters produced 2 victories for Al-Nassr and a win for Esteghlal. 

Expert Betting Tips

Al-Nassr is well-positioned for the victory, and I believe they’ll get the win. Esteghlal is also a very strong team, and we believe they will give Al-Nassr a tough time, but Ronaldo's Al-Nassr will prevail. Al-Nassr will not lose, which makes our first prediction a win or draw and a total of over 1.5 goals due to the very defensive nature of Esteghlal. We will also be banking on the goals options here, and we also expect goals from both teams. 

Our first prediction is a total of over 2.5 goals for 1.90 odds at 1xbet.

Our second prediction is for both teams to score, for 1.77 odds at Betway.

Our third prediction is an Al-Nassr win for 1.86 odds at Bet365.