Saudi giants Al Ittihad take on city rivals Al Ahli in the AFC Champions League semi-finals Monday as one of Asia's oldest and fiercest local derbies stages arguably its most important edition yet. Having fought on the domestic stage for three-quarters of a century, the stakes are unprecedented for the Jeddah teams with the winner over two legs reaching a final against Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor or South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai.
The two clubs are among the most venerable in Asia - Al Ittihad were formed in 1929, and Al Ahli eight years later - and they have been frequent foes in Saudi Arabia's league and cup competitions since their first clash in 1938.