Nasaf currently lie second in Group C and three more points against a side they overcame 4-0 in Lebanon will set them well on their way to a place in the last 16.

Al Ahed, by contrast, have just a single point to their name following a home draw with Syrians Al Jaish and that is a record Hammoud does not expect to change against the Uzbeks.

“I consider Nasaf a professional club while my team is amateur,” he said.

“It is reflected in everything, including results of games. For example, we have played well against Al Jaish at home but were well beaten in the return game.

“The problem is that players do not have time to recover after matches in the Lebanese championship, where we are battling for the title.

“In the AFC Cup, we already have practically lost our chance to qualify for the next stage. Besides our playmaker Abbas Atwi has been injured but we will try to show a good performance.”

Hammoud also stressed his side would relish playing in front of a packed stadium on Tuesday.

“The full stadium will only give additional motivation to my football players,” he stated.

“As you know, the people do not go on football in Lebanon, and my players only dream of playing at full grounds.”

Nasaf, meanwhile, come into the game fully rested and refreshed and looking to consign their last home game in the AFC Cup – a 2-1 defeat to Kazma – firmly in the past.

“We wish to win and are ready to make that happen,” Nasaf’s Russian boss Victor Kumikov said.

“We have had enough time for players to recover. In the fifth round of the Uzbekistan championship, we did not have a game and so we have spent this week restoring the abilities of the players.”