Chinese Super League 2021 season preview: new names, same old CSL

New season starts on Tuesday with Guangzhou FC meeting Guangzhou City in front of 30,000 fans

Star players have left but there has been plenty of movement including new bosses at seven of the 16 teams

Reading Time:10 minutes

Jiangsu Suning’s Alex Teixeira (left) and Eder celebrate after winning the 2020 Chinese Super League final. The team left the CSL ahead of the 2021 season. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:58pm, 20 Apr 2021Updated: 2:58pm, 20 Apr 2021

The 2021 Chinese Super League season starts on Tuesday with the Guangzhou derby between Guangzhou FC and Guangzhou City – and 30,000 fans in the stands.

Formerly Guangzhou Evergrande and Guangzhou R&F respectively, the new names reflect the change in policy banning sponsors from club names.

Another change is represented by the absence of the champions Jiangsu FC, formerly Jiangsu Suning, who have folded since beating Guangzhou Evergrande in last season’s CSL final – a decider put in place with the coronavirus format.

Suning’s decision is reflective of financial constraints across the league with a new salary cap in part the reason behind an exodus of foreign stars and a lack of big-name signings to replace them.

Hulk left Shanghai but he was far from the only star player to bid farewell to China and there have been changes in the dugout too, headlined by Rafa Benitez leaving Dalian Pro.

Seven of the 16 teams have employed new managers ahead of the season and the squads have been shaken up too.

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