The U21 Youth League, which is led by the Chinese Super League Association and allows clubs to rank themselves, is about to kick off. In the announced list of teams participating in the tournament, Jiang Shenglong, a star player of Chinese Super League powerhouse Chongqing, unexpectedly appeared in the U21 Chongqing squad. And Beijing Guoan stalwart and U23 debutant Gao Tianyi, is also listed.
Jiang Shenglong, who is on loan to Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic from Shanghai Shenhua this season, performed well in the first three matches and was firmly in the starting position. However, unfortunately, Jiang Shenglong was injured in the pre-match warm-up for the fourth match against Henan and missed the following two rounds.
Chongqing's inclusion of Jiang Shenglong in the U21 League roster may be an attempt to give him more game opportunities and make up for the loss of competitive form due to injury absence.
Gao Tianyi, who transferred to Guoan from Jiangsu, became an indispensable U23 starter for Guoan in the new season. Coach Bilic even allowed Gao Tianyi to play from start to finish in two consecutive games. Guoan's decision to allow Gao Tianyi, who is already overage, to participate in the U21 league may also be an attempt to accelerate the development of a new generation of players.
Jiang Shenglong and Gao Tianyi will undoubtedly show a difference if they play in the U21 League. However, given the high intensity of confrontation in official matches, they will have to be careful to prevent injuries from affecting their performances in the Chinese Super League.
