Coach refuses to lift ban on Conca before make-or-break match

Not even the need to avoid defeat against Thailand's Buriram United in the final group match of the Asian Champions League has earned Dario Conca a reprieve as Guangzhou Evergrande go into their final group match tonight without the US$10 million Argentinian playmaker. Conca earned a nine-match club ban after a petulant reaction to the decision by coach Lee Jang-soo to substitute him an hour into their clash with Jeonbuk Motors two weeks ago. 'He will not be playing because of his earlier ban,' said Guangzhou's Korean coach. Victory would guarantee a place in the knockout phase of the continent-wide championship; a draw could get them through, depending on the result in the game between Kashiwa Reysol and Jeonbuk.