Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande begin the defence of their AFC Champions League title on Wednesday with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side looking to join opening round opponents Pohang Steelers from Korea Republic as the only three-time continental champions.
Guangzhou followed up their 2013 triumph over Korea’s FC Seoul with a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate win over Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates at the end of last year.
Brazilian coach Scolari has lost compatriot Elkeson who scored the decisive goal in both final successes, although Guangzhou recruited Colombian Jackson Martinez ahead of the start of the new season with the remainder of the squad remaining largely unchanged.
Guangzhou have yet to start their domestic season having won a fifth consecutive Super League title last year, and while the K-League Classic season has also not started, opponents Pohang did beat Vietnam’s Hanoi T&T in the AFC Champions League play-offs earlier this month.
To date, Pohang are the only side to be crowned continental champions three times having won the Asian Club Championship in 1997 and 1998 before winning the 2009 AFC Champions League.
“We can improve, but this was a good result for us,” said Pohang coach Choi Jin-cheul after Shim Dong-woon’s hat-trick secured victory over Hanoi.
“We are now looking forward to the group stage. We know it will not be easy, but we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Also in Group H on Wednesday, Australia’s Sydney FC travel to Japan to face 2007 AFC Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds.
And in Group G, fellow A-League side Melbourne Victory entertain China’s Shanghai SIPG, while 2008 AFC Champions League winners Gamba Osaka from Japan travel to Korea to face two-time Asian Club Championship winners Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
In the West on Wednesday, two-time Asian Club Championship winners Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia travel to Uzbekistan to face domestic champions Pakhtakor in Group C, while play-off winners Al Jazira from the UAE make the trip to Iran to face Tractorsazi Tabriz.
Saudi Arabian King Cup winners Al Hilal, who won the Asian Club Championship in 1992 and 2000, again produced a strong showing in the AFC Champions League last year by reaching the semi-finals having lost the 2014 final to Australia’s Western Sydney Wanderers.
Al Jazira, meanwhile, earned a seventh AFC Champions League appearance after edging out Qatar’s Al Sadd on penalties in the play-offs earlier this month following a 2-2 draw after extra-time.
“I want to thank the players for the great effort they made tonight as they were determined to win and we achieved what we were looking for. The match was not easy, but we were better and deserved to win," said Al Jazira coach Henk Ten Cate following the win over Al Sadd.
"We will celebrate tonight, but we should start preparing for the group stage.”
Finally in Group D, inaugural AFC Champions League winners Al Ain from the UAE entertain Qatar’s El Jaish, who also advanced from the play-offs after beating Naft Tehran in Iran, while Uzbekistan’s Nasaf travel to Saudi Arabia to face Al Ahli.