Al Sharjah vs Al Hilal Prediction 22.12.2025 | AFC Champions League

The Kings from Sharjah have discovered that the jump from the AFC Champions League Two throne to the elite level is a perilous one, finding themselves precariously positioned in seventh place within the group with their knockout dreams hanging by a thread. 

Their continental campaign has been defined by wild inconsistency, perfectly illustrated by an explosive 4-3 opening victory over Al Gharafa, which was swiftly followed by a sobering reality check in the form of a crushing 5-0 defeat at the hands of Tractor.

The domestic picture offers little encouragement either. Al Sharjah have already suffered five defeats from their opening eight top-flight league matches, while their UAE League Cup journey came to a premature end after being dismantled by Al Ain, losing 4-1 in the return leg and crashing out 7-2 on aggregate at the quarter-final stage.

On the continental front, however, Jose Morais’ side recently injected a much-needed dose of belief into their AFC Champions League Elite top-eight aspirations by grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Saudi heavyweights Al Ahli SC. That result offered a glimmer of hope, though they will now need every ounce of resilience to withstand the storm set to be unleashed by the flawless Al Hilal at the Sharjah Stadium.

Despite their worrying form lines, Al Sharjah head into this crucial continental assignment without any injury or suspension concerns, allowing the Portuguese tactician to deploy his strongest possible lineup as they brace for one of their toughest tests of the season.

The Riyadh royalty, Al Hilal, are currently operating on an entirely different stratosphere to the rest of the competition, showcasing a level of dominance that borders on the terrifying. 

With a pristine record of five wins from five in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage, the Saudi Arabian titans have already effectively punched their ticket for the knockout rounds, playing a high-octane brand of football that has yielded 14 goals so far.

Fresh from a crushing 4-0 demolition of Al Shorta, the Saudi Arabian heavyweights approach this fixture not merely in search of another three points, but with the clear intention of preserving their perfect continental record and sending a powerful message to any potential title challengers.

The Blue Waves’ dominance is not confined to Asia alone. Their ambitions of sweeping every available trophy this season remain firmly intact after a commanding 4-1 victory over Al Fateh in the King Cup quarter-finals, a result that extended their winning streak across all competitions to an imposing 13 matches.

Much like his counterpart earlier in the week, Italian tactician Simone Inzaghi will have the luxury of a fully fit squad at his disposal. However, with Al Hilal already becoming the first team to officially secure qualification for the ACL Elite knockout phase, rotation could be on the cards as the manager looks to manage workloads while maintaining momentum.