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Shanghai handed late ACL berth
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Former Chinese champion Shanghai SIPG, now known as Shanghai Port FC, has earned a late call-up to the 2021 AFC Champions League after the Asian Football Confederation confirmed the expulsion of Shandong Luneng from the latest edition of the continental club championship.
Shanghai, winner of the Chinese Super League in 2018 and semifinalist in the ACL a year earlier, finished fourth in last year鈥檚 domestic championship to initially miss out on qualifying for the competition.
However, Shandong, which had booked its berth in the competition by winning last year鈥檚 Chinese FA Cup, had its license to play revoked by the AFC earlier this month due to 鈥渙verdue payables.鈥
The AFC said yesterday that twice champion Guangzhou FC, formerly Guangzhou Evergrande, will replace Shandong as China鈥檚 second-ranked club in the competition and, as a result, Fabio Cannavaro鈥檚 side will play in Group J alongside Hong Kong鈥檚 Kitchee, Port FC from Thailand and either Melbourne City, Myanmar鈥檚 Shan United or Cerezo Osaka from Japan.
That means Beijing FC, which had been due to feature in the playoff rounds after its third-place finish in the league, will also progress automatically to the group phase.
Slaven Bilic鈥檚 side, earlier known as Beijing Guoan, will meet Japanese champion Kawasaki Frontale, United City of the Philippines and either South Korea鈥檚 Daegu FC or Chiangrai United from Thailand in Group I.
Shanghai Port, which boasts Brazil playmaker Oscar in its squad and has a new head coach in Ivan Leko, will take on either Brisbane Roar from Australia or Kaya-Iloilo of the Philippines in the playoff rounds for a berth in Group F alongside defending champion Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea, Thailand鈥檚 BG Pathum United and Viettel from Vietnam.
Last year鈥檚 CSL winner Jiangsu FC remains unaffected by the decision and will play in Group G with Japan鈥檚 Nagoya Grampus, Johor Darul Ta鈥檢im from Malaysia and either South Korean side Pohang Steelers or Ratchaburi Mitr Phol of Thailand.
The group phase of the ACL is due to be played in centralized hubs due to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on international travel.
Games in the preliminary and playoff rounds are set to take place from April 7 with the group phase in the eastern half of the continent slated to commence from April 21.
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