Relegation looms for former Chinese Super League powerhouse Shandong Luneng

For all the attention that Shanghai SIPG have been getting during their recent struggles, another big name Chinese Super League club has been struggling even more. Fellow AFC Champions League quarter-finalists Shandong Luneng have been in freefall for much of the domestic season and things appear to be going from bad to worse.

This weekend Shandong Luneng hosted Guangzhou Evergrande at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center stadium. Bizarrely, based on recent seasons, top faced bottom and the game went on form with the runaway leaders extending their cushion at the top of the table to seven points thanks to goals from Brazilians Alan and Paulinho.

Shandong remain rock bottom after the loss, three points adrift of Changchun Yatai and four from safety. They have a game in hand but that game is against third-bottom Shijiazhuang Everbright and defeat in the rearranged fixture could end their hopes of survival.

That would be unthinkable for one of the biggest names in Chinese football and arguably one of the biggest names in Asia. Prior to the dominance of Guangzhou Evergrande, Shandong Luneng were the pre-eminent team since the CSL rebranded in 2004. The three-time champions also finished as runners-up twice and were the last team to win the league before Evergrande’s current stranglehold began.

Last season they finished third, guaranteeing their place in the AFC Champions League for the fourth year in a row.