On August 13th at midnight, Beijing time: 00:00, a much-anticipated AFC Champions League (AFC Champions League) 1/8 final first-round match is about to kick off. Shandong Luneng, as the only Chinese Super League team in the AFC Champions League, will face Kawasaki Vanguard, a Japanese powerhouse, at home.
Last season, Shandong Luneng defended the bottom line of dignity for Chinese Super League teams, becoming the only team to advance to the knockout rounds of the AFC Champions League, albeit ultimately missing out on the Super League trophy. It's worth noting that despite being based in the AFC Champions League, Shandong Luneng have never met Kawasaki Frontale before. Therefore, this game is undoubtedly a new challenge for Shandong Luneng.
In terms of overall strength comparison, Shandong Luneng seems to be in a disadvantageous position, especially in the overall fighting strength, Shandong Luneng's stability is obviously not as good as that of Kawasaki Vanguard. Therefore, this duel will undoubtedly be a fierce competition. However, less than ten days before the match, Shandong Luneng received a disheartening news: Zeca, the star center forward brought in by Pohang Ironman from South Korea's K-League, has aggravated his injury and will not be able to play in this crucial AFC Champions League battle. This is undoubtedly a blow to Shandong Luneng.
It is reported that Zeca was accidentally injured during the winter training and has returned to Brazil to recuperate. As a result, he will not be able to make it to Shandong Luneng's AFC Champions League match. I originally thought that Zeca only suffered a minor injury and would be able to return to the field soon. But now it seems that it has become impossible.
Zeca is highly expected by Shandong Luneng and is regarded as the successor of former Belgian superstar Fellaini. He not only possesses excellent physical qualities, but also has excellent shooting skills and great control in front of goal. Statistics show that during his time with Pohang Ironmen, he contributed 17 goals and 10 assists to the team, and his attacking efficiency in front of goal in 44 games even surpassed that of the retired Fellaini.
Therefore, the absence of such a powerful center forward due to injury at this critical moment is undoubtedly a huge blow to Shandong Luneng. It's no exaggeration to say that Zeca's absence will greatly increase the difficulty for Shandong Luneng to win this match. It seems that the prospect of Shandong Luneng advancing to the last eight of the AFC Champions League is not optimistic.
