Ahead of the Asian Champions League final first leg between Al Ahli and Guangzhou Evergrande in Dubai, Asian football expert Michael Church profiles the Chinese side’s first XI and highlights their key players.
Guangzhou Evergrande’s five years of success at both domestic and continental level have been built on an alliance between a strong Chinese core and South American flair, and the 2015 model is no exception as the club from southern China go on the hunt for a second Asian Champions League title in three seasons.
Veteran midfielder Zheng Zhi remains the linchpin of the team alongside compatriots Feng Xiaoting, Zhang Linpeng and Huang Bowen while Brazilian playmaker Ricardo Goulart has added a level of creativity missing since Dario Conca — the Argentine who inspired Guangzhou to the Asian title in 2013 — ended his time at the club.
Elkeson, who scored in both legs of the 2013 final win over FC Seoul, has not quite hit the goal scoring form he showed that season, but the arrival of the former Tottenham midfielder Paulinho in the summer has added real drive to a midfield that had previously been pedestrian, providing Luiz Felipe Scolari with a dynamic starting line-up as well as a strong bench.
Formation 4-3-1-2
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Goalkeeper: Zeng Cheng
First-choice goalkeeper Zeng Cheng joined Guangzhou in 2013 from Henan Jianye and has been the regular between the posts despite constant speculation over his position in the Chinese media. A capable shot stopper, the China international missed an early chunk of the season due to injury.
Right-back: Zhang Linpeng
Long rated as one of the finest young players in Chinese football, Zhang Linpeng has blossomed in recent seasons with Guangzhou, even if his playing style can be generously described as enthusiastic. Capable of playing at right back – where he appears regularly for Evergrande – or in the centre of defence, the China international is dynamic and a fine athlete. He has long stated his desire to move to Europe and he has been linked with overseas clubs throughout the year and this could be one of his final appearances in the Guangzhou shirt before finally realising his dream.
Centre-back: Feng Xiaoting
China international defender Feng Xiaoting has forged a steady partnership with Kim Young-gwan at the heart of the Guangzhou defence over the last three seasons and has been a key player in the club’s rise since joining from South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors in 2011.
Centre-back: Kim Young-gwan
South Korean World Cup defender Kim Young-gwan joined Guangzhou from Japan’s Omiya Ardija in 2012 and has established himself as one of the finest centre-halves in Chinese football. A bronze medal winner with South Korea at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Left-back: Li Xuepeng
Li Xuepeng started to cement his position at left back in the second half of the current season as Guangzhou Evergrande sought to find a long-term replacement for former PSV Eindhoven defender Sun Xiang. Li joined in 2014 after stints at Dalian Aerbin and with Citizen in Hong Kong.
Centre midfield: Huang Bowen
Huang Bowen was an unused substitute in the final of the 2011 Champions League as South Korean side Jeonbuk Motors lost on penalties to Qatar’s Al Sadd before joining Guangzhou the following year and becoming a vital component in the team’s midfield, starting in both legs of the 2013 final success against FC Seoul.
Centre midfield: Zheng Zhi
Guangzhou Evergrande and China captain Zheng Zhi has been at the heart of the club’s development since the early days of the project to dominate Chinese and Asian football, and the former Charlton Athletic and Celtic midfielder retains the knowledge and experience to remain a commanding presence at the heart of the team. While time has slowed him down, Zheng’s presence and expertise on the ball brings stability and calm to the team and, despite now being 35 years old, he is still one of the first names on the e team sheet.
Centre midfield: Paulinho
Signed in the summer for €14 million (Dh56m) after a disappointing spell in the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, Brazil international Paulinho has brought a dynamism that was previously missing from Guangzhou’s midfield. His goal in against Kashiwa Reysol in the quarter-finals, a thunderous long-range strike, was a joy to behold.
Attacking midfielder: Ricardo Goulart
Guangzhou struggled last season to replace Dario Conca, the man who inspired the club to their first Champions League crown in 2013, but the arrival of Ricardo Goulart at the start of the year has erased the painful memories of 2014. The 24-year-old midfielder, who has a solitary cap for Brazil, has brought invention, class and goal scoring to the team from his position sitting just behind the strikers. He has scored eight goals so far in the Champions League, with six of those coming in the first three games and he is the tournament’s leading scorer going into the final, with two more than Al Ahli’s Ahmad Khalil.
Centre forward: Elkeson
Elkeson scored a goal in each of the legs of the 2013 Champions League final win over FC Seoul at a time when the Brazilian seemed incapable of missing. While he remains a potent threat, niggling injuries have limited his impact this year and he has still to recapture the form of his first season with the club.
Centre forward: Zheng Long
Zheng Long has been given a sustained run in the team on the left side of the attack by both Luiz Felipe Scolari and his predecessor Fabio Cannavaro and the 27-year-old forward has delivered consistently impressive performances after missing all of the 2014 due to serious injury.
Subs
Veteran striker Gao Lin has slipped down the pecking order, but remains a useful option off the bench for Scolari while rangy midfielder Zhao Xuri is one of Chinese football’s more creative options. Rong Hao is versatile and can play in either midfield or defence and Yu Hanchao brings pace down the left side.
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