On August 16, the group stage results for the first stage of the Asian Champions League Elite Group were released. The three Chinese Super League powerhouses, Shanghai Seaport, Shanghai Shenhua, and Shandong Taishan, will face the same opponents, with Seaport and Taishan sharing the same home and away schedule, while Shenhua’s is the exact opposite.
In fact, after the Asian Champions League Elite Group’s draw rules were announced, it was already determined that the three Chinese Super League giants would face the same eight opponents. The six teams from Japan and South Korea were unavoidable, while the other three teams, Buriram United, Central Coast Mariners, and Johor DT, were a choice of two out of three.
Moreover, since Seaport was in the first tier for the draw, Taishan and Shenhua were in the second tier. The home and away schedule of either Taishan or Shenhua would be identical to that of Seaport (the match order will be different), while the other team’s home and away schedule would be completely opposite. Ultimately, Seaport and Taishan will have the same home and away schedule, while Shenhua’s is completely opposite.
Specifically, Seaport and Taishan will play their four home matches against Johor DT, Central Coast Mariners, Yokohama Mariners from Japan, and Gwangju FC from South Korea. Their away matches will be against Ulsan Hyundai, Vissel Kobe, Pohang Steelers, and Kawasaki Frontale. Shenhua’s schedule is the complete opposite, with four away matches requiring them to travel to Malaysia and Australia. However, they will be playing at home against Ulsan Hyundai and Kawasaki Frontale.
The top eight teams out of the twelve will advance to the knockout stage. Therefore, with the three Chinese Super League teams facing the same opponents, they should set aside their rivalry in the league and share tactical insights with each other.
Of course, the fact that Taishan and Seaport have the same home and away schedule is also an opportunity for them to engage in a silent battle. Although Shenhua enjoys an advantage by playing against stronger teams at home, their away matches require them to travel to Malaysia and Australia. While the schedule hasn’t been finalized yet, the group stage will be held from September 16th to February 19th, 2025, which will be a major test for them, whether it’s during the Chinese Super League season or the off-season.
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