AFC Champions League: Kitchee boss Kim says Hong Kong side’s reputation safe despite relegation to second tier
- Change in competition’s rules means winners of Hong Kong Premier League will now play in the lower level ACL 2
- Kim Dong-jin’s says qualifying for new regional competition next season is still a huge incentive
Kim Dong-jin insisted Kitchee’s powerhouse reputation would not be damaged by an absence of AFC Champions League football for the foreseeable future.
A 2-1 defeat by South Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Wednesday confirmed Kitchee’s exit from this season’s competition, albeit their race was long since run after claiming only one point from the previous four matches.
They have one more game, against Lion City Sailors in a fortnight, after which the Champions League door will slam in the faces of the Hong Kong champions.
The Asian Football Confederation earlier this year waved through proposed changes to its club competitions from 2024. A new AFC Champions League Elite will feature only 24 teams, drawn from the 12 countries ranked highest in the AFC’s club competitions ranking.
The champions of Hong Kong’s Premier League will gain entry into the group stage of a second-tier AFC Champions League 2.
It feels rough on Kitchee, who reached the Champions League round of 16 last term, or any team that wins the domestic title. But interim head coach Kim, whose side are currently trailing leaders Lee Man by six points, maintained that qualification for the secondary tournament remained a notable incentive.