The groups for the AFC Champions League 2013. Group E FC Seoul (KOR) Winner between Brisbane Roar/Buriram United (AUS/THA) Vegalta Sendai (JPN) Jiangsu Sainty (CHN) Group F Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (KOR) Muangthong United (THA) Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) Group G Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) Beijing Guaon (CHN) Pohang Steelers (KOR) Bunyodkor (UZB) Group H Central Coast Mariners (AUS) J.League Emperor Cup Winner (JPN/TBD in Jan.) Guizhou Renhe (CHN) Suwon Samsung Bluewings (KOR)
Also the Elkeson to Guangzhou seems like a done deal. http://sambafoot.com/en/news/39780_elkeson_to_complete_guangzhou_evergrande_deal_on_tuesday.html
Looks like the Chinese season schedule is almost set according to reports Season Starts at Mrch 2nd with Guangzhou EvergrandeVS Jiangsu Sainty at the Super Cup, at the same day there will be 7 CSL charity matches. CSL season starts at March 9 and finish at November 3. CFA Cup Schedule: Round 1, March 24 & 25 Round 2, April 10 & 11 Round 3, April 24 & 25 Round 4, July 7 Round 5, Quarter-Final July 19 Round 6, Semi-Fnal, August 7 & 21, Two Legs Round 7, Final, Noveber 24 & 30, Two Legs
conca rumours: - the clause to release conca to brazil is very expensive, making conca returning home to play football next season unlikely - liu, one of the top dudes in evergrande, accused conca's agent of making specutulations to move conca away
transfer rumours: - lu peng was rumoured to worth $20million RMB, chinese netizens laughed at it as bullshit - yu hanchao might be going to the newly merged Dalian FC next week
Very tough groups for all teams, but next years edition looks to be the most even, well atleast on paper. Thai teams are getting better and better and i do think the chinese teams are slowly catching up to J and K Leagues, and of course A-League teams are usually very solid. It seems like every team are capable to advance so it´ll be a really interesting group stage
Gonna be nice to see Guangzhou vs Jeonbuk again. But I expect both to exit the group. Also, I expect FC Seoul to leave with probably Vegalta but not sure about others. Don't count your chickens, FC Seoul are a team to be reckoned with. They have Dejan Damjanović who scored a record 31 goals in 40 games and Mauricio Molina who came 3rd in Most Goals this season with 18 and Top Assistor with 19 assists. Dejan also took K-League 2012 MVP. They are both in their respective Best XI (FW & MF) as well as Adi and Kim Yong-Dae also their respective Best XI (DF & GK) for Season 2012. However, Adi will probably not play next year. He's too old now. (36?)
just back from new york so i can finally post. for the elkeson transfer, i won't confirm until i see a photo of him holding a shirt (and his name posted on evergrande's official site).
more like marketing/getting more awareness of the club, most likely not gonna happen. shanghai shenhua is under scrunity of stock control again.
rumour: xu liang originally could go from beijing guoan to shanghai shenhua as a free transfer. but it seems xu liang wants to pay back to beijing guoan, so he signed an one year extension with guoan to make shenhua pay a transfer fee on him. xu liang: "i am thankful for what beijing guoan offered me, especially the time after i finished my tenure with guangzhou pharmaeutical"
AC Milan and Evergrande got into an agreement. i believe one of the cooperation policies is to send youth players to AC Milan for training.
Chunnam Dragon defender Ahn Jae-Jun might be on his way to Beijing Guoan. http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2012-12-14/17496338268.shtml
CONFIRMED/BREAKING NEWS: Gao Hongbo resigned from Guizhou Renhe. According to Renhe's official site: Gao Hongbo left Renhe because he wants to further his learning oversea. now what i think about this is...there should be much more to this. gao put the club in 4th position, with an entry to ACL. even in earlier interview, gao told the reporters he is preparing to get foreign players for the ACL campaign. now lol.
i dun think he will coach oversea. (lets have a minute of harsh reality, we rarely see chinese managers coach oversea) trivia: - gao hongbo always has an avid interest to study oversea, right after he got fired from CFA, he said he will go to Europe to study - in my memory, gao hongbo was the first coach who received oversea offer, he received a request from tajikistan national team to manage during the world cup 2014 qualifier, gao rejected because he don't know anything about tajik football lol rumour: - gao hongbo resigned from renhe due to pressure from management, citing gao hongbo's stubborn attitude brings conflict between the coach-management team and coach-players
dalian casualty #1: zhu ting as mentioned before, he is joining wuhan zall now dalian casualty #2: zhang yaokun confirmed and posted on website, he is joining fuli.