As Shenhua's preparations continue to move forward, however, since the team regrouped on November 15th, the epidemic has brought considerable challenges to the players' preparations. With Moreno returning early due to a family matter, Bassogo stranded overseas, Wu Xi and Zhu Chenjie in quarantine, and Zhao Mingjian and Wen Jiabao stuck in Dalian, numerous players have been unable to return to the team for the time being.
After completing the group stage of the World Qualifiers, Basogo traveled directly to France. During his time overseas, he joined a local club and used its grounds to work out on his own to maintain his form. With Christmas approaching and European clubs about to go on vacation, Basogo will be faced with the prospect of not being able to continue to access professional training conditions. Whether it is the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in January next year or the two knockout matches in March where a place in the World Cup is at stake, he desperately needs to earn himself a place in the Cameroonian national team through systematic training and competition. To this end, Basogo is in Paris to process the formalities for his return to China and will depart as soon as he receives his medical clearance and ticket. However, due to the 14-day quarantine period, it is uncertain whether he will be able to make it to all eight matches of the second phase.
Meanwhile, international players Wu Xi and Zhu Chenjie returned to the country with the national football team on Nov. 18 and are currently located at the Taimei Xianggu Li Hotel in Suzhou for 14 days of isolation. During the period, they will insist on training under the guidance of the coaching team of the national football team until December 2nd. After the quarantine period, the whole national football team will transfer to Shanghai to enter the independent monitoring stage, when the Shanghai training club players will be able to join the team directly. If all goes well, Wu Xi and Zhu Chenjie are expected to return to Shenhua on December 3rd.
In addition, Zhao Mingjian and Wen Jiabao were stranded in Dalian due to the outbreak.On November 4, Dalian added a new confirmed case of indigenous XKP, and then the number of cases quickly climbed to over 300 cases. After Shenhua finished the semi-finals of the AFC Cup on November 8, Dalian's epidemic prevention department issued an upgraded announcement of "not to leave Dalian unless necessary". From Nov. 9 onwards, those leaving the city not only need to have a certificate of a negative nucleic acid test within 24 hours and the State Council's trip card and Liaozhitong health code green code, but also need to fulfill the approval procedures for leaving the city. Due to the strict procedures, Zhao Mingjian and Wen Jiabao have not yet received permission to leave the company, but only through the network to maintain communication with the coaching staff, according to the requirements of their own training.
Shenhua lacked key players during the preparation period, and also faced a real problem: they were unable to fully implement the goal of developing young players in the second phase of the league. The two youngsters Chen Shenji and Jiang Yongjie, who were enrolled during the AFC Cup, are unable to play in the league according to the rules. They, along with a number of ladder players, are now training with the first team, but due to the AFC's abolition of the reserve team league this year, these youngsters cannot represent the first team at any time in the league as they are unable to register with the AFC. The only existing U23 players in the squad are two goalkeepers, Ma Zhen and Xue Qinghao, one defender, Wang Yi, and two midfielders, Wang Haijian and He Longhai. In view of the actual situation, Shenhua will still be based on the original team to fight in the second stage of the league, the training of young players will be adjusted according to the actual situation. In the original team, Moreno is sure to be absent, Basogo can successfully return to the country is not yet certain, Jonic, Adrian and Dumbya three foreign aid is basically sure to stay in the team to participate in the remaining eight games.
