Shanghai Harbor has been plagued by many disasters recently. Core player Oscar was unfortunately injured in training, followed by an injury blow to foreign striker Lopez. Oscar's right toe compression fracture has caused him a long recovery period, and according to official information, he will miss the first three rounds of the AFC Cup. Lopez's injury is even worse, according to the disclosure, his right knee anterior cruciate ligament tear, basically confirmed that the season is over. The injuries of the two big foreigners will undoubtedly bring a great challenge to the Harbor team to prepare for the F.A.C.A. Cup.
The predicament is not limited to harbor teams in the Chinese Super League. During this long interregnum, many Chinese Super League teams are facing heavy difficulties, such as Guangzhou and Hebei teams are in crisis and their future is uncertain. According to Soccer Daily, Guangzhou's head coach Carlo Cannavaro's departure is a foregone conclusion and the team's future is full of uncertainty. In contrast, Qingdao and Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic seem to be in better shape after their existential crises, and both teams have already assembled and begun their preparations.
The Taishan team had a great time during the break. after regrouping at the beginning of September, the team had a training session at the Luneng Football School and interacted well with the ladder team. After returning to Jinan, the Taishan team warmed up with Wuhan and Jinmen Tigers. Despite the meticulous preparation, the team still faces the dilemma of incomplete personnel. Six internationals, including Wang Dalei and Jin Jingdao, are with the national team for the World Preliminary League. The team's defense line is fine, but the offensive line needs to be reorganized. Luckily, Moises has returned to the team and appeared in warm-up matches to find match form. Sun Junho and Fellaini are also returning one after another, undergoing quarantine and will be ready to return to the team once the quarantine is over. Taishan will try their best to get the best result in the F.A.C. Cup, but it is not an easy road to defend the title with a disorganized staff.
The good news for Taishan is that they are expected to return to Jinan Olympic Sports Center to kick off their AFC Cup campaign on their home turf. According to a reporter from the New Yellow River, Jinan, Changchun, Dalian and Meizhou will host this year's pre-FA Cup final matches.
As of now, Shanghai Shenhua and Changchun Yatai, who are fully staffed, are quite competitive in the F.A.C. Cup. Shenhua's poor performance in the league, caught in the relegation group, urgent need to find dignity in the AFC Cup. The outstanding Yatai team has no players called up by the national team, and the foreigners are all in China, so they are expected to go all out in the AFC Cup. The last time Taishan played at the Olympic Sports Center was back on November 27, 2019, when they beat their opponents 3-1 at home.
It is reported that the 2021 F.A.C. Cup schedule has been preliminarily determined, and the draw ceremony will be held on September 29, when the complete schedule is expected to be released. Affected by a number of factors, this year's AFC Cup may become one of the most suspenseful in recent years.
