Steven Bergwijn returns as Al-Ittihad seek first AFC Champions League Elite win

Al-Ittihad will have Steven Bergwijn available again as they attempt to secure their first victory of the season in the AFC Champions League Elite. The Saudi club travel to face Uzbek side Neftchi on Monday, with the fixture forming part of the third round of the league phase.

The match will be played at Neftchi's stadium. According to Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah, Dutch winger Bergwijn has been included in Al-Ittihad's squad after recovering from an intestinal inflammation.

The illness ruled him out of Friday's 2-0 win against Al-Diriyah in the 11th round of the Saudi Pro League. Bergwijn's return is a significant boost for Laurent Blanc's side as they look to improve their position in the Asian competition.

Al-Ittihad have collected only one point from their opening two matches and are currently 11th in the league-phase standings. The Jeddah club began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Qatar's Al Shamal before suffering a 2-1 defeat by Shabab Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah.

Those results have left Al-Ittihad still waiting for their first win in the tournament, while Neftchi sit seventh with three points. The return of Bergwijn gives the Tigers another attacking option as they seek to end their difficult start to the competition and move closer to the leading positions.