Yassine Bounou says AFC Champions League Elite is Al Hilal's main target

Yassine Bounou says winning the AFC Champions League Elite is one of Al Hilal's principal ambitions this season after their 3-2 victory over Al Ittihad in the Roshn Saudi League. The Morocco goalkeeper was speaking after Saturday's encounter at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, where Al Hilal secured all three points in the eighth round of the competition.

Bounou also praised the progress made by the Saudi league, saying the arrival of high-profile players had helped raise the standard and competitiveness of the tournament. "It is clear that the level of the league is improving," Bounou said in comments reported by Asharq Al-Awsat.

"The recruitment of outstanding players has contributed to increasing the quality of the competition." The Al Hilal goalkeeper also reflected on facing his friend Youssef En-Nesyri on the pitch. "Football is beautiful because it brings you together with friends who become like family, whether at club or international level," he said.

"But time moves on and you sometimes find yourself having to face them."

Bounou then turned his attention to Al Hilal's AFC Champions League Elite campaign and their upcoming meeting with Al Sadd.

"The AFC Champions League Elite is one of the club's main objectives this season," he said. "We won the first match and, God willing, we will continue."