Asian Champions League: Star-studded Saudi Arabian, Japanese and Chinese clubs setting the pace

FILE - Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo kicks the ball during Riyadh Season Cup 2024 final match against Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (AP Photo, File)

By  JOHN DUERDEN, December 2 — Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez and Aleksandar Mitrovic, Saudi Arabian clubs are dominating the western zone of the AFC Champions League Elite but, in the east, Japan is on top with Chinese clubs bouncing back after a difficult period.

Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are first, second and third in the western zone group, the 24 teams in the tournament are divided into two groups of 12, and are already guaranteed a place in the Round of 16.

It has not been easy however. Like the European version, Asia’s top tier tournament has expanded the number of group stage games from six to eight putting extra demands on even the cashed-up Saudi Arabian clubs.

“The tournament is very difficult, it is similar to the UEFA Champions League,” said Al-Hilal boss Jorge Jesus. “If we want to succeed, we must manage in the required manner. Pressure and fatigue are the fate of big clubs that compete in all tournaments and we are up to the task.”

Chinese revival

With the domestic seasons in east Asia already over, there are fewer demands on clubs who are in action on Tuesday and Wednesday and the three Chinese teams are in the top eight with seven points each.

After years of financial problems and clubs folding, fans are enjoying the relative success of the clubs especially as the national team has won two of its last three qualifiers to keep hopes of the 2026 World Cup alive.

Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Port are in the running as are Shandong Taishan.

“In the AFC Champions League, all our preparations are 100%, and our efforts are also 100%,” Tang Tian, Shandong assistant coach, said. “We will review and prepare for the away game against Kawasaki and strive for a satisfactory result.”

Japanese clubs flying high

Kawasaki Frontale is one of three Japanese clubs in the top four. Vissel Kobe is top and will seal its knockout stage place if it defeats South Korea’s Pohang Steelers.

“When we looked at the competition in the beginning, it was always in our thinking that we would need three, four wins to go through,” Kobe coach Takayuki Yoshida said. “Now we’re close but we have an important game in Korea next.”

Yokohama F. Marinos will be close to doing the same if it can defeat Central Coast Mariners of Australia. John Hutchinson spent ten years as a player at the A-League club and is now the fourth Australian to coach Yokohama, succeeding Harry Kewell in July who followed Kevin Muscat and Ange Postecoglou.

Under Hutchinson, Yokohama has won its last five games to climb into seventh in the J.League and third in the Champions League, following last week’s defeat of Pohang.

“I’m happy with the boys and their performance,” said Hutchinson. “We ended up with the three points and have our game against Australia’s Central Coast Mariners next. We want to win that game to climb the table.”

The Mariners, Australia’s sole representative in the tournament, have just one point from five games and are in desperate need of a win.