On January 6 in Beijing, the 2021 Chinese Super League season came to a close. Guangzhou defeated arch-rivals Shanghai Seaport in the final match, and could only take home the third place trophy with tears in their eyes. However, it was a happy ending for the Guangzhou team, which has been suffering from financial difficulties this season.
It was not easy for the Guangzhou players to participate in the tournament itself, especially on the eve of the second stage of the tournament, when the team was once rumored to be unable to participate in the tournament properly. But in the end, they persevered, and this perseverance is admirable.
Domestic soccer media, Soccer Daily, disclosed the journey of Guangzhou players during this period of time. One player said, "We have a firm belief in our hearts that we want the Guangzhou team to survive! Before the start of the Champions League match, Zhi (Zheng Zhi) mobilized us and said that no matter what it was for, whether it was to prove ourselves or not, our goal was to give it our all and finish this stage of the competition."
"In a big way, it's a fight for the city of Guangzhou and the Guangzhou fans; in a small way, it's a fight for the players themselves. Most importantly, despite being in a difficult situation, the Guangzhou team was united, we worked together, Zhi and the coaching staff did their job, and we thank them for leading us to finish the game at the crucial moment."
"One detail worth mentioning is that while we were training spontaneously, the players realized that the staff of the hotel where they were staying had been evacuated and the chef of the base restaurant had left. What was touching was that the team staff purchased their own ingredients and cooked for the players. This spirit of overcoming difficulties and unity is very inspirational for the entire Guangzhou team members, especially the young players, and this experience should be unforgettable in their lives."
Regarding the future, both the fans and the players of the Guangzhou team are still in an unknown state. However, the contracts of a number of key players in the team have expired, and it is still unknown whether Zheng Zhi, Liu Dangzheng, Huang Bowen, Liao Lisheng, Meifang and Deng Hanwen will be able to renew their contracts.
Soccer Daily also revealed that after the Guangzhou team was in trouble, some other clubs had made contact with the Guangzhou players and were interested in bringing them in. Despite the fact that the relevant person in charge of the Guangzhou Municipal Sports Bureau said in an interview that he was determined to continue to run the two professional soccer clubs well and create new glory, the players still hope to complete the share reform as soon as possible, so that they can decide on their final destination according to the results of the share reform. (End)
