The final chapter of the AFC Champions League group stage came to an end on December 13th with the Chinese Super League leaving Taishan alone. Although the West Asian region of the Saudi Arabia team is very powerful, but the East Asian Japan and South Korea still maintain a strong position. Input sharply reduced in the Chinese Super League, even in the face of Southeast Asia, also difficult to find an advantage, can only be in a competitive environment difficult to survive.
The results of the East Asian zone match the strength of the league, with Japan and South Korea joining hands to advance, and Taishan of the Chinese Super League fighting a lone battle.
In South Korea, Ulsan Hyundai, Pohang Steelers and Jeonbuk Hyundai managed to advance. In spite of Incheon United's slightly inferior strength, they performed moderately well, beating Yokohama Mariners by 12 points. However, Ulsan Hyundai (10 points) and Jeonbuk Hyundai (12 points) are much stronger. Both had middling performances in the group stage, and both advanced in the final round in thrilling fashion. Hong expressed his gratitude to Zhejiang for their help, and if not for Melbourne's draw with Zhejiang, Ulsan Hyundai would have been eliminated. Pohang Steelers played with an all-Korean team and still finished at the top of the group.
J-League teams are more focused on the league than the AFC Champions League. This year's AFC Champions League group stage collided with the league championship and promotion sprint, and teams preferred the league. Even so, Japan's non-starter lineup showed technical strength. 8th J2 League side Jaffa Wind Forest topped the group, due to grouping factors as well as strength. Mariners did not go all out for the AFC Champions League for the league title but beat Taishan 3-0 in the last game; Urawa Red Diamonds held back at the end of the season during the crucial period of the fight for AFC Champions League qualification, and ended up with two losses; Kawasaki Frontale, with no hope of winning the title, invested more energy in the AFC Champions League and progressed to the top of the table with an undefeated record.
The Chinese Super League team sent a first-team squad to the AFC Champions League again after two years, with reduced investment and underpowered foreigners, and performed in line with expectations. Outside of Taishan, both Sanzhen and Zhejiang failed to achieve the desired results. Port strength had been stronger and foreign aid better. Unfortunately, the play-offs became a nightmare for the Chinese Super League. The overall real-world performance was equivalent to the Thai Premier League and the Australian Premier League, and there was an obvious gap with Japan and South Korea.
After the AFC Champions League is reformed next year, the prize money for the winner of the elite league will be as high as $12 million and $4 million for the runner-up, while group stage win bonuses and away subsidies will also be boosted. For Chinese Super League clubs, the AFC Champions League is no longer a loss-making business, but a battle for prize money. Bonus incentives will help Chinese Super League teams bring in better foreign aid, get more returns and help the Chinese Super League get out of the doldrums. But with only 12 teams in East Asia next year and stronger opponents, the Chinese Super League teams will face a bigger challenge.
The good news is that the three teams - Harbour, Shenhua and Taishan (Extra) - will represent the elite AFC Champions League next year and operate with relative stability.
In West Asia, Riyadh Crescent, Jeddah United, and Riyadh Victory all advanced to the top of the group, with only one loss in the group stage, a clear advantage. The Saudi Arabian league has stocked up on top stars, improving their strength by at least one dimension. Uzbek giants Mindanao advanced to the second place in the group despite having no superstars.
Riyadh Crescent remained undefeated even without Neymar in the last four rounds of the group stage. In the last two rounds, only rely on three foreign aid, with 5 wins and 1 draw group first. Crow-led Riyadh Victory in the play-offs eliminated the Dubai Young Nationals, undefeated in the group stage, foreign aid configuration advantage is obvious.
Saad, Duhail, Persepolis and Tashkent Cotton Farmers did not advance. Ain advanced but the group had no Saudi teams, reducing its gold content. Next season's AFC Champions League has been reorganized into a top-tier elite league with three group stage spots for Saudi Arabia. After the removal of foreign aid registration restrictions, Saudi teams will undoubtedly be more competitive.
The Qatari summer city invested a record €160 million this season to bring in a number of stars, most of whom did not play in the AFC Champions League.
Saudi Arabia is hoarding top stars, has grown in strength and is likely to monopolize the AFC Champions League in the future. West Asia has won only 17 AFC Champions League titles since 2006, and the AFC is constantly reforming to create opportunities for West Asia. In the elite league, the last eight and later stages will adopt a tournament system and no longer be divided into divisions. Saudi Arabian teams are expected to rule Asian soccer with the host advantage.
