Ronaldo, Neymar and Benzema set sights on Asian Champions League title

BY JOHN DUERDEN

Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema have won a combined total of 11 UEFA Champions League titles and, starting Monday, they lead the Saudi Arabian challenge in the Asian edition.

Neymar, who last week surpassed Pele’s international goal tally for Brazil, arrived at Al-Hilal in August and made his league debut on Friday as the four-time Asian champion thrashed Abha 6-1. Hilal lost the final to Urawa Reds of Japan last May.

Since then, Saudi Arabian clubs have spent around $950 million on some of the biggest stars in the world. The spending is being fueled by a move by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund to take a majority ownership stake in four of the country’s top clubs, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr.

As well as Neymar, Al-Hilal has signed English Premier League stars Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly and Aleksandar Mitrovic as well as Moroccan