In Asian Champions League eastern half, Guangzhou Evergrande loom large

As the Asian Champions League resumes, the eastern half's attention will be dominated by Robinho and Paulinho-aided, Luiz Felipe Scolari-coached Guangzhou.

Robinho, now of Guangzhou Evergrande, shown with the Brazil national team at a Copa America training session in June. Silvio Avila / EPA / June 14, 2015

Guangzhou Evergrande coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has a point to prove after past failures in the Asian Champions League, and with his star studded Chinese team in fine form, there is much to be confident about going into the quarter-finals.

The 2002 World Cup winning coach was hired by Uzbekistan’s Bunyokdor in 2009 charged with delivering the continental crown. The Tashkent team were eliminated at the 2009 quarter-finals and only made it as far as the second round in 2010 before the Brazilian left.

Scolari returned to Asia in June to succeed Fabio Cannavaro as coach of Guangzhou, a team that have won the last four Chinese Super League titles and the 2013 Asian Champions League.

“The last time I fought on this stage was in 2010, but now the strangeness and equally the familiarity is coming back to me following my experience with Bunyodkor,” Scolari was quoted on the Asian Football Confederation’s official website. “I’m excited to be back with a team like Guangzhou. Guangzhou have a strong squad full of top players.”

Guangzhou are regarded as the front runners among the eight teams remaining in the tournament, especially after strengthening their squad in the summer with the signing Brazilian internationals Paulinho and Robinho.

Robinho has taken time to adjust in China, but scored twice on Friday as Guangzhou, currently second in the Chinese Super League, defeated Shanghai Shenxin 4-2.

The new additions joined Ricardo Goulart, another Brazilian international, who is the top scorer in this year’s continental tournament with eight goals. Guangzhou have also gathered a number of Chinese internationals, spending over $100 million (Dh367.3m) on players since 2010.

A trip to Kashiwa Reysol for the first leg on Tuesday will not be easy, but Guangzhou have memories of an 8-1 aggregate win over the Japanese side in the 2013 semi-finals when the Chinese club, under Marcello Lippi, went on to win the title.

“Kashiwa Reysol are not a weak side and we must pay 100 per cent attention and give 100 per cent effort against them as they deserve to be at this stage in the competition,” Scolari said.

Kashiwa are the only team from the eastern half of the draw – the tournament is split into east and west Asia until the final – never to have won the Asian Champions League.

The other game in the region sees the South Korean and Japanese champions meet, with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors looking to overcome Gamba Osaka for a first continental win since 2006.

Jeonbuk striker Lee Dong-gook, 35, is the tournament’s highest ever scorer with 27 goals in the tournament, and is fit after recently recovering from injury.

“We are ready for Gamba and we want to win the first leg at home without conceding a goal.” said the former English Premier League forward. “We will do our best to take an advantage to Japan for the second leg.”

In the west, 2014 runners-up Al Hilal Riyadh of Saudi Arabia takes on Qatar’s Lekhwiya. Michael Laudrup led Lekhwiya to the Qatar Stars League title earlier this year only to step down in June.

In the remaining quarter-final, Iranian newcomers Naft Tehran meet the Arabian Gulf League's Al Ahli.

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