With Melbourne Victory securing qualification into the AFC Champions League Group Stage, we’ll now be able to witness some of the very best clubs and players in Asia. The three continental opponents all have substantial calibre and there’s no doubt that this’ll be a tough group for everyone involved.
We’ve taken the time to give you the low-down on each of Victory’s group G rivals, starting with their first opponent. defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande.
Guangzhou Evergrande (广州恒大)
Where, when do they meet:
26 February – Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou, China
15 April – Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
Who are they?
Guangzhou are a relatively new powerhouse in Asian football, having risen to prominence since their takeover by Evergrande Real Estate Group in 2010. The new owners took charge of a crippled team who were embroiled in a match fixing scandal and as a result, suffered instant relegation along with Chengdu Blades for the 2010 season.
Since then, they have poured money into the club, signing a host of Chinese internationals as well as some highly skilful Brazilian players. Together, they have become an almost unstoppable force in the Chinese Super League, winning the last three editions. The club is also well supported, with an average over 40,000 fans per game last season.
They are currently managed by Marcello Lippi, and the Italian tactician guided them to a coveted AFC Champions League title last year, having beaten FC Seoul on away goals in a two-legged final.
Who to look out for:
Thankfully for the Victory, they won’t have to worry about Argentinian maestro Dario Conca, who was instrumental in their successes over the last three seasons. The attacking midfielder has departed for Fluminense in Brazil, but Lippi has replaced him with Alessandro Diamanti.
The Italian forward had a stellar season in the Serie A last season with Bologna and will add more firepower to the already burgeoning attack of Guangzhou, providing great foil for the likes of Muriqui and Elkeson.
Muriqui is Guangzhou’s goal machine; the Brazillian helping himself to 13 goals in their AFC Champions League triumph last season as well as nine strikes in the league. In his time at the club, the tricky customer has amassed 120 appearances, scoring 73 goals in all competitions.
On the local front, they have former Charlton Athletic midfielder and club captain Zheng Zhi, who will provide drive from midfield, while centre back Feng Xiaoting is a solid presence at the back. Their left back Sun Xiang has tasted European football with PSV Eindhoven and Austria Wien, and they also possess one of China’s most technically gifted players in Gao Lin.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (전북 현대 모터스)
Where, when do they meet:
12 March – Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
22 April – Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea
Who are they?
Jeonbuk’s most recent success was a second place finish in the 2011 AFC Champions League, when they lost in the final to Qatari side Al-Sadd on penalties. They also won the K-League that year, their second ever league title.
The Korean club was also the first East Asian club to have won the reformed AFC Champions League, lifting the trophy in 2006. They qualified for this years edition by finishing third in the league, 11 points off eventual K-League champions Pohang Steelers.
Their manager Choi Kang-Hee is highly credentialed, and was in charge when they won the competition back in 2006. He also spent two years in charge of the South Korean national team, qualifying them for the World Cup in Brazil. His only managerial position at club level has been at Jeonbuk, and he returned to the club after his national team contract expired.
Who to look out for:
The side has changed dramatically since their run to the final in 2011, with the most glaring omission being the sale of Brazilian playmaker Eninho to Changchun Yatai. He was instrumental to much of their recent success, and has been replaced by two Brazilians in Kaio and Marcos Aurélio, with the later formerly on the books of Internacional.
Jeonbuk also have former Middlesborough forward Lee Dong-Gook, who has regularly featured on the scoresheet for his current club, and played a huge part of their campaign in 2011 with nine goals. Kim Nam-Il has also signed for the club; the midfielder shot to prominence after the 2002 World Cup and will add vital experience to the side.
Incidentally, their back line is led by former Central Coast Mariners’ defender Alex Wilkinson, who joined the club back in 2012. Wilkinson will be keen to impress, especially with a potential spot in Australia’s World Cup squad up for grabs.
Yokohama F. Marinos (横浜F・マリノス)
Where, when do they meet:
18 March – Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
2 April – Yokohama International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan
Who are they?
Yokohama F. Marinos hold a proud record in the J. League, having never being relegated in the history of the competition since it’s inception in 1993. To put things into perspective, the only Japanese winners of the AFC Champions League, Urawa Red Diamonds and Gamba Osaka have spent a season in J2, in 2000 and 2013 respectively.
Despite that, they have largely been a mid-table club, with their best spell coming in 2003-04, when they won back to back J. League titles. They are now back in the AFC Champions League after an eight year absence, having won the Emperor’s Cup on New Year’s Day.
Yokohama also came agonisingly close to winning the league last season. Having led by four points with two rounds to go, they lost their final two games which allowed Sanfrecce Hiroshima to ghost in and steal the title from their grasp.
Their manager Yasuhiro Higuchi doesn’t have a high profile background like Lippi or Choi Kang-Hee, but has enough success at the club to show that he isn’t a pushover.
Who to look out for:
Without a doubt the man to watch is Japanese star Shunsuke Nakamura, whose exquisite left foot has been put to the test in some truly bizarre ways. A star in his own right on the football field, Nakamura has been seen off it too, with various appearances on Japanese gameshows showcasing the midfielder’s ability to hit the dead ball. One of the most memorable saw Nakamura slot a free-kick through the window of a moving bus.
Of course away from reality television, he has shown his set piece taking ability at Reggina, Celtic and Espanyol, captivating many fans across Europe. He scored a brilliant free kick for Celtic against Manchester United back in 2006, which also helped Celtic progress from the Group Stage of the UEFA Champions League. He retired from international football with 98 caps to his name and his experience will be immense for Yokohama in this campaign.
The rest of the team lacks the same sort of star power, but they do possess plenty of quality, especially in the backline. Yuji Nakazawa was a mainstay in the national team, making 110 caps before his retirement in 2010. He has bundles of experience and is an uncompromising defender. His defensive partner Yuzo Kurihara also has plenty of experience, having been a part of the national team set-up, most recently in the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup, which Japan won.
Up front, they have lost the services of Marquinhos to Vissel Kobe, a huge loss considering he was their top scorer last season. They have signed Sho Ito from Shimizu S-Pulse as his replacement, a player dubbed the Japanese “Thierry Henry”. The forward who was once ironically chased by Arsenal will have to shoulder the burden up front, and should he strike up a good partnership with Nakamura, could just fix his modest goalscoring record.