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AFC Champions Leaguei

The AFC Asian Champions League is the top continental competition for football clubs in Asia, running from January to November.

 

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The holding of an important regional football competition would help restore Hong Kong’s positive and safe image, but residents must be assured that players and officials will abide by coronavirus rules.

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  • Cramming in too many fixtures makes the trips ‘challenging’ for players who genuinely want to see new places and meet fans, Gundogan says
  • ‘I have experience of going to three different countries in 10 days,’ he says. ‘It makes it very difficult’

Report accuses bosses of ignoring players and clubs, says average quality of teams in competition inferior to the top domestic divisions in Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.

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Total of seven players and staff from the two teams handed bans of up to eight games, with Chinese international Yao Junsheng among four punished from Zhejiang.

Lionel Messi’s club Inter Miami are to play an exhibition game against a Hong Kong side on February 4, effectively clashing with the Asian Cup quarter-finals, which fall on the preceding two days.

A change in the competition’s rules means the winners of the Hong Kong Premier League will now play in the lower level ACL 2, but Kitchee head coach Kim Dong-jin says there is still plenty of incentive to qualify.

Kitchee crash out at group stage yet again, with second-half pressure against 10-man South Korean side not enough to overcome poor defensive display in first half.

Interim head coach Kim Dong-jin says Kitchee are heading in the right direction after a six-match unbeaten run but need every ounce of their fighting spirit to achieve a first Champions League win this season.

Strong showing on continent’s biggest stage will mean ‘quality players are looking at us’, Kim Dong-jin says – and he insists Ogenyi Onazi is part of his plans despite talk of a move back to Italy.

Mixed doubles pair Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet win Germany Open for first title since Korea Masters in 2019. Rankings boost puts duo in reach of place in World Tour Finals.

Andrew Russell, who is quitting the city’s national team to focus on his club career, warns the domestic scene is failing clubs on the continental stage, with Kitchee training tougher than league games.

AFC Champions League clash was played in front of just 2,259 supporters inside cavernous So Kon Po venue but Kim says ‘they were fully behind our team’.

Jakob Jantscher played his ‘best season’ after his father’s suicide, and the Austrian forward is still going strong after 17 years at the top of the sport, targeting more success with new club Kitchee.

Kim Dong-jin says personal relationships with players will take back seat in his mission to restore Kitchee’s success after sluggish start to new season.

Kitchee began their AFC Asian Champions League campaign on a losing note against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, with Mikael Severo’s terrific solo goal the only positive on a disappointing night in South Korea.

Saturday’s Hong Kong Premier League matches postponed with No 8 signal still in effect, meaning Kitchee won’t play until four days before their first game in Group F against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

Hong Kong giants sign Austria international striker Jakob Jantscher to further reinforce their prolific front line ahead of AFC Champions League opener.

Urawa Red Diamonds head coach Maciej Skorza admits Japanese side ‘are not looking good in the physical aspect’ ahead of AFC Champions League play-off.

Lee Man go to ‘under pressure’ three-times Asian Champions League winners for attractive play-off tie on Tuesday, and Hong Kong team given chance of causing shock

Debutant Mitchel Paulissen bags two, while Martins, Everton Camargo and Jose Angel also score in 5-1 victory, to set up play-off against Urawa Red Diamonds.