No place certain for Korean teams in Asian Champions League

By John Duerden

The team manager of South Korea football champion Jeonbuk Motors was smiling. He had just been talking to head coach Choi Kang-hee on the telephone to tell the boss about what had happened in the draw for the group stage of the 2016 Asian Champions League.

Choi was delighted to learn that he would be locking horns with Jiangsu Sainty of China, Binh Duong of Vietnam and one yet to be confirmed club.

It could have been much worse. Jeonbuk avoided holder Guangzhou Evergrande and instead received the weakest of China’s entrants and a team from southeast Asia that should be defeated comfortably.

This does not mean the four-time K-League champion is assured of a place in the round of 16 but if it fails, there can be no complaints, which is why Choi was saying “thank you, thank you” on the phone.

Jeonbuk is the Korean team with the biggest desire to succeed in Asia, having been denied a place in the 2015 Champions League semi-final by a last-minute Gamba Osaka goal. It was the one bitter moment in a successful year.

FC Seoul faces some familiar opposition in its group. Japanese champion Sanfrecce Hiroshima has been the best team in the J-League over the past few years, but has yet to show that in Asia. 2016 could be different. The two met in 2014. Seoul topped the group but was second best to Hiroshima in both games.

As well as the Japanese, there is also Buriram United. There was a time when teams from Southeast Asia were seen as an easy three points at home and away and while that is not always inaccurate, Buriram has done much to change it.

The Thais have won four out of their last five domestic titles and are well-funded by a well-known politician and well-supported by the fans. Buriram made the last eight of the 2013 tournament and in 2015 finished level on points with Gamba Osaka and Seongnam FC, but fell foul of the tournament’s ranking system.

The play-offs will decide the identity of Seoul’s other opponent and Suwon Bluewings must wait to find out two of its rivals. At the moment, only Melbourne Victory is known. The Australian team has yet to perform really well in Asia, but has assembled a strong roster and is keen to put on a strong showing. Suwon will be joined by another Japanese club and another play-off winner.

Pohang Steelers will take on either Hanoi T&T or Kitchee of Hong Kong in order to progress into Group H. That should not be too tough, but the group will not be easy coach Choi. The group contains Asian champion Guangzhou Evergrande. The Chinese powerhouse has won two of the last three continental titles and the last five domestic crowns.

It has 2002 World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, much of the Chinese national team, four well-known and well-paid Brazilian imports and South Korea’s star defender Kim Yong-gwon.

It may also add to the $150 million plus it has invested in players and coaches since 2010. Throw in Sydney FC and an, as yet unnamed Japanese team, and it will not be easy.

But then this is the Asian Champions League ― it is not supposed to be easy.