On December 13, the dust settled in the group stage of the AFC Champions League, and the Chinese Super League, Taishan, was alone in the battle. West Asia dominant Saudi Arabia although ambitious, but in East Asia is still difficult to shake the dominance of Japan and South Korea. Sharply reduced investment in the Chinese Super League, even in the face of Southeast Asia, it is difficult to find an advantage, can only survive in the cracks.
East Asia results as expected league strength, Japan and South Korea three teams hand in hand to advance, the Chinese super Taishan alone to defend the position.
Among the Korean teams, Ulsan Hyundai, Pohang Steelers, and Jeonbuk Hyundai managed to make it out of the tournament. Incheon United performed moderately well, beating Yokohama Mariners by 12 points, despite being slightly weaker. However, Ulsan Hyundai (10 points) and Jeonbuk Hyundai (12 points) were better. Both had mediocre performances in the group stage, and both advanced in the final round in thrilling fashion. Coach Hong Myung-bo needs to thank his former hosts Zhejiang for their help, as Ulsan Hyundai would have been eliminated if not for the draw with Melbourne. Pohang Steelers played with an all-Korean squad and still finished first in the group.
J-League teams are more focused on the league than the AFC Champions League. This year, the group stage of the AFC Champions League overlapped with the league championship and promotion sprint period, and teams paid more attention to the league. Even so, the Japanese team still showed high technical strength. the J2 league ranked eighth Jaffa Wind Forest group top, both grouping factors, but also the strength of the added; in order to protect the league title, the Mariners in the AFC Champions League group stage did not go all out, the last game only sent five foreign aid, the result was defeated by the Tarzan 3-0; Poho Red Diamonds in the end of the season in the fight for the qualification of the AFC Champions League, the key period also have reservations, and eventually Kawasaki Frontale lost their hopes of winning the title early on, but invested more in the AFC Champions League and deserved to advance with an undefeated record.
The Chinese Super League teams played in the AFC Champions League after two years of first-team action, with reduced investment and limited foreign aid, and performed in line with expectations. In addition to Taishan, the three towns and Zhejiang team all performed poorly. The former ports are stronger and the foreign aid is more advantageous. Unfortunately, this is a play-off. The overall real performance of the Chinese Super League is equivalent to the Thai Super League and the Australian Super League, and is in the second group in East Asia, with a clear gap between Japan and South Korea.
Next year's AFC Champions League reform, the elite league champion prize money up to 12 million U.S. dollars, the runner-up 4 million U.S. dollars, group stage win bonus and away subsidies will also be raised. For Chinese Super League clubs, the AFC Championship is no longer a "loss-making" business, but a prize fight worth fighting for. Bonus incentive, the Chinese super team can introduce stronger foreign aid, get more returns, help the rapid rise of the Chinese super. However, with only 12 teams in the East Asian region next year and stronger opponents, the Chinese Super League teams may face a bigger challenge.
The good news is that three teams - Harbour, Shenhua and Taishan (additional) - 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 finished first in the group, with only one loss in 18 group games, a clear advantage. The Saudi Arabian league is hoarding top superstars, and its strength has been raised by at least one dimension. Uzbekistan giants Mindanao, although no heavyweight superstars to join the Feha, but still second in the group as the line.
Riyadh Crescent were invincible even without Neymar in the last four rounds of the group stage. In the last two rounds, they only got three foreigners. In the end, they finished first in the group with five wins and one draw; Crow-led Riyadh Victory, who knocked out Dubai Young Nationals in the play-offs, remained undefeated in the group stage with four wins and two draws, with a clear advantage in foreign aid allocation.
Saad, Duhail, Persepolis and Tashkent Cotton Farmers all failed to qualify for the West Asia Regional Championship. Ain advanced, but the group has no Saudi team, the gold content is significantly reduced. Next season's AFC Champions League is reorganized into a top-tier elite league, with three group stage spots for Saudi Arabia. The Asian tournament canceled the foreign aid registration restrictions, Saudi Arabia team is undoubtedly free from the shackles, in the introduction of foreign aid more advantage, only Qatar and the United Arab Emirates can compete with them.
The Qatari summer city invested a record 160 million euros this season to bring in stars such as Verratti, Draxler, Diallo, Coutinho, Guedes, Plata, Giovanni, and Somma, most of whom did not play in the AFC Champions League.
Saudi Arabia is hoarding top stars and is significantly stronger and could monopolize the AFC Champions League in the future. Previously, the Asian Championship is the east wind overwhelmed the west wind. Since 2006, West Asia has only won 17 AFC Champions League titles, and the AFC has continued to "reform" to create opportunities for West Asia. In the Elite League, the last eight and beyond will adopt a tournament system, no longer divided into zones. The Saudi Arabian team is clearly superior in strength, and the hosts have a clear advantage and are expected to dominate.
