On the morning of July 6 in Beijing, the CFA unveiled the international squad for the East Asian Cup at a surprise press conference. The team consists of 24 warriors, 19 of whom are youthful U23s, and five experienced overage fighters. However, according to internal sources, Wu Xi and Zhang Linpeng unfortunately suffered serious injuries, they are sure to miss the East Asian Cup. Whether there will be any changes to the list of overage players is still up in the air.
Wu Xi and Zhang Linpeng are treasures in the eyes of Coach Yankovic, and they were highly regarded during the U23 national team training. Yankovic was full of praise for their strength. Unfortunately, Wu Xi suffered a knock after a game against Wuhan Sanzhen and was diagnosed with cracked ribs, requiring about a month's recuperation and undoubtedly ending his trip to the East Asian Cup. As for Zhang Linpeng, he was injured in the afternoon of July 6 during the Harbor team training, the condition of which is unclear, and has returned to Shanghai for an in-depth examination. If the ligament is damaged, Zhang Linpeng will also face a long recovery period, and the prospect of participating in the East Asian Cup is worrying.
It is worth mentioning that in order to prepare for the East Asian Cup, the Football Association had submitted a 50-player list to the Japanese side. However, the majority of the list was made up of U23 players, with limited places for overage players. If Wu Xi and Zhang Linpeng are unable to participate, the national management department will have to select suitable candidates from the remaining list to supplement. (Sohu Sports Pei Li)
