After yesterday's game, Wuhan Three Town head coach Gao Mian was interviewed by Japanese media footballzone about the competitiveness of the Chinese Super League in the AFC Champions League. He believes that the overall level of Chinese soccer has improved from the previous epidemic period, but Japan and South Korea are still very strong at the AFC Champions League level.
According to yahoo, the epidemic has had a huge impact on Chinese soccer. Since the 2020 AFC Champions League, Chinese teams have often fielded lineups made up of younger players. Meanwhile, some Chinese clubs, such as Guangzhou Evergrande, have been affected by factors such as the bursting of the real estate bubble, which has seen the size of their clubs plummet and lose competitiveness in Asian competitions.
Last season, for example, Shandong Taishan were drawn in the same group as Urawa Red Diamonds in the AFC Champions League group stage in April, but they fielded a side without any of their starters and lost 0-5 to Urawa in both matches. This season, they were grouped with Yokohama Marinos and came close to advancing to the group stage with a score of four wins and one loss in five games.
After the 1-2 loss to Urawa, Wuhan Sanzhen head coach Gao Mianmian said: "This was a game we couldn't afford to lose in order to advance in the group. At the beginning of the game, it was difficult for us to play under the pressure of the home fans. After the pressure subsided, we had some good chances to control the ball, but at the end of the first half, we were hit by a penalty kick, which made us very sad. It was a very tough away game. We were hoping to take away three points, but unfortunately it didn't turn out that way."
Also, after leading the team in the AFC Champions League, the coaches lamented, "Chinese soccer has also experienced bubble bursting and salary problems, but there are still some well-known players among foreign players and the overall level has improved. However, in the AFC Champions League, Japanese and South Korean teams are strong. The top teams are also at a high level in the Chinese Super League. In my opinion, as we gain experience in the game, we will be better at dealing with our opponents in away games.
In the past, teams such as Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai SIPG have often served as regulars in the knockout rounds of the AFC Champions League, and have been strong performers in the Asian tournament, according to the report. Although Wuhan Sanzhen have been eliminated from this competition, with the reform of the AFC Champions League system, they could be an opponent that Japanese teams need to be wary of.
