Original title: Japanese media: China’s influence in the AFC has accelerated and will also pay the price in the future
According to the Japanese media “Tokyo Sports“, China’s influence in the AFC Champions League is accelerating. The group stage of the AFC Champions League East, which was held intensively in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, ended on May 1. Due to the impact of the new crown epidemic, Shanghai Haigang and Changchun Yatai withdrew, and the Shandong and Guangzhou teams representing China did not send their main lineup, but sent a second team mainly composed of young people. As a result, the Guangzhou team lost 0-8. Kawasaki Frontale, the two teams were eliminated in the group stage.
The impact of the devastating defeat of the Chinese Super League does not only exist in this game, but will also pay a price in the future. Chinese media reported that by the end of 2022, China’s AFC club rankings will drop to 15th (7th in East Asia). The ranking is based on the results of the AFC Champions League over the past 4 years.
Therefore, until next year’s AFC Champions League, China will have two direct promotion places and two play-off places, but from 2024, due to the ranking, there will be only one direct promotion place. The Chinese have been battling Japanese and Korean clubs for supremacy in the AFC East, such as Guangzhou Evergrande in 2013 and 2015, but that may be a thing of the past.
In this AFC Champions League, Southeast Asian teams have made great progress. Johor Bahru beat J League champion Kawasaki and 2020 AFC Champions Ulsan Hyundai to win the group first, although they have home field advantage. In Group G held in Thailand, Pathum United also won the first place in the group, and the power map of the AFC Champions League may be further changed in the future. (Editor Liu Shuitu)Return to Sohu, see more
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