DOHA (Qatar): Guangzhou Evergrande’s 2020 AFC Champions League hopes suffered a blow on Monday after midfielder Paulinho pulled out from the squad due to injury, the club said on Monday.
Ricardo Goulart has replaced him.
The race to join Iran’s Persepolis FC in the final on December 19 will kick-off on Wednesday in the Qatari capital as Asia’s top clubs from the East Zone restart their eagerly anticipated group campaigns.
The action begins in Group F at 1pm on Wednesday with AFC Champions League debutants and 2018/2019 A-League Premiers Perth Glory facing China PR’s Shanghai Shenhua FC who will be setting their sights on an opening victory.
The preparation is underway as the first half-dozen clubs have arrived in Doha ready.
Similar to the AFC Champions League (West), which was successfully staged last month, players and officials will be placed under strict health regulations and measures as a precaution against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with fellow Chinese clubs Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai SIPG FC, the three clubs are the only sides who have yet to feature in this season’s AFC Champions League Group Stage.
Shanghai Shenhua FC will have a busy stretch of matches soon after as they meet 2012 champions Ulsan Hyundai FC of Korea Republic and group leaders FC Tokyo.
