New boss Lluis Carreras brings Torres, recently arrived former Barcelona winger Isaac Cuenca and one-time Roma forward Victor Ibarbo to Hong Kong but will be without Japan keeper Shuichi Gonda, the only player from the club called up to the Asian Cup squad, who has since left for Portuguese side Portimonense.

Carreras will likely use the tournament to get to know his players but Torres’ enduring class could still see them contest the trophy.

Auckland City return to the tournament that they won in 2017 and Ramon Tribulietx will want his serial winners to take the trophy back to New Zealand.

The Auckland outfit won the New Zealand Premiership last season, topping the table in the regular season and then winning the play-offs, and currently sit a whopping 11 points clear at the top of the table. That form will stand them in good stead against Hong Kong’s scratch side and the East Asian clubs in the middle of pre-season.

They claimed a confidence-boosting 1-0 league win over title rivals Canterbury United on Saturday before boarding a flight to Hong Kong, and have now won 13 straight domestic games.

Fifa Club World Cup regulars, City’s diverse squad has been with the Spanish coach for years and they went to seven Club World Cups in a row from 2011 to 2017 on the back of seven OFC Champions League wins.

Former Burnley midfielder Cameron Howieson brings a touch of English Premier League quality to the side.

Shandong Luneng are the other visiting team and arguably the most high-profile.

The Chinese Super League side were involved in the title race in 2018, even topping the table for a couple of weeks in the first third of the season, before falling away towards the final weeks.

They did reach the Chinese FA Cup final but lost to Beijing Guoan over two legs.

Third place and cup runners up was enough to secure their return to the AFC Champions League.

Manager Lu Xiaopeng is a club legend, playing most of his career with the Jinan-based side.

The four time winners of the CSL were the last team to win it before Guangzhou Evergrande began their dominance of the title back in 2010. They also won the FA Cup four times and made the quarter-finals of the Champions League back in 2016.

Former Italy striker Graziano Pelle is arguably their most high-profile foreigner while Roger Guedes has impressed in spurts since joining on loan from Brazil’s Palmeiras. Defender Gil occupies another space in their foreigner quota.

China internationals Wang Dalei, Hao Junmin, Jin Jingdao and Liu Yang will be expected to feature after helping the national team to the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup in the UAE.

Headline-grabbing new signing Marouane Fellaini is a doubt to play in Hong Kong because of a calf strain.

The teams are rounded out by the hosts, a Hong Kong select side led by Hong Kong Premier League club Pegasus.

As you’d expect, it is Pegasus that provide the lion’s share of Kevin Bond’s squad, with 14 coming from the club.

Kitchee trio Jordi, Lucas and Fernando join them, as do Hong Kong R&F pair Leung Nok-hang and Lo Kwan-yee. Yuen Long provide Cleiton and Jean Moser, Southern are represented by Wellingsson and Shay Spitz, while Lee Man’s Cheng Siu-kwan and Fran Gonzalez are in the mix.

Dreams midfielder Gondra rounds out the guests for Pegasus and pals.

Match schedule

February 5

Shandong Luneng vs Auckland City – 4pm

Hong Kong Select vs Sagan Tosu – 6.15pm

February 7

Third-place play-off – 4pm

Final – 6.15pm

Tickets, which include access to all four matches over the two days, are priced at HK$480 / HK$280 / HK$180 (concessions).