[골닷컴] Reporter Park Byung-gyu = The 2021 AFC Champions League (hereafter ACL) schedule and group stage opponents have been announced. There is also an interesting confrontation between players from the K-League.
AFC held the 2021 ACL draw through live broadcast on YouTube on the 27th. Starting this season, the number has increased from 32 teams to 40 teams. In the K League, Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai advance to the finals, and Daegu FC and Pohang Steelers can join the finals when they win the playoffs.
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This competition will be held in four divisions with Corona 19. The host country is undecided, but the preliminary round in April and the group stage will be held in one place. In mid-September, the round of 16 and quarter-finals will be held, and the semi-finals will be held in October. The finals are scheduled for November.
First, Ulsan, the defending champion and K-League 1 runner-up, meets BG Pathum United (Thailand), Viettel FC (Vietnam) and PO1 winners in Group F. In PO1, Beijing Guoan (China), Brisbane Roar (Australia), and Kaya Iloilo (Philippines) will face off.
Jeonbuk, who achieved a double in the K-League and FA Cup, joined Group H with Gamba Osaka (Japan), Tampines Rovers (Singapore) and Sydney FC (Australia).
On April 14, the 3rd place team Pohang and the 5th place team Daegu will play a single playoff at their respective homes. Pohang will face Jiangsu Suning (China), Nagoya Grampus (Japan) and Johor Darul Tazim (Malaysia) in Group G of the finals if they win against Paul with Ratchaburi Meat in Thailand.
If Daegu wins against Thailand’s Chiang Rai United, they will play in the group stage with Kawasaki Frontale (Japan), Guangzhou Everlande (China) and United City (Philippines) in Group I of the final round.
Interesting confrontations are also eye-catching. Sejong Ju, who moves to Gamba Osaka, faces Jeonbuk. K-League MVP Son Jun-ho, who moved to Luneng in Shandong, China, faces K-League legend Deyan, who transferred to Kitchi SC in Hong Kong. Daegu’s playing coach Lee Yong-rae will face off against his home team, Chiang Rai (Thailand) at PO. If Daegu advances to the finals, it will face Kawasaki’s goalkeeper Jeong Seong-ryong. And for the second time following 2019, the Guangzhou Eva Grande will face off at ACL.
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Beijing Guoan, to which Kim Min-jae belongs, has a playoff ahead. If they advance to the finals after victory, they will face off against Ulsan. Although Kim Min-jae has a steady transfer rumor, if there is no special move in the transfer market this winter, there is a high probability of meeting Ulsan in the finals.
■ 2021 AFC Champions League draw result (East Asia)
F1 BG Pathum United (Thailand)
F2 Ulsan Hyundai
F3 Viettel FC (Vietnam)
F4 PO1 Beijing Guoan (China) / Brisbane Roar (Australia) / Kaya Iloilo (Philippines)
G1 Jiangsu Suning (China)
G2 Nagoya Grampus (Japan)
G3 Johor Darul Tazim (Malaysia)
G4 PO3 Pohang Steelers / Ratchaburi Meat Pole (Thailand)
H1 Jeonbuk Hyundai
H2 Gamba Osaka (Japan)
H3 Tampines Rovers (Singapore)
H4 Sydney FC (Australia)
I1 Kawasaki Frontale (Japan)
I2 Guangzhou Everlande (China)
I3 United City (Philippines)
I4 PO4 Daegu FC / Chiang Rai UTD (Thailand)
J1 Shandong Luneng (China)
J2 Port FC (Thailand)
J3 Kitchi SC (Hong Kong)
J4 PO2 Cereso Osaka (Japan) / (Melbourne City (Australia) / Shan United (Myanmar))
Photo = Provided by the Korea Professional Football Federation