Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Hong Kong: Marouane Fellaini's debut at Chinese club Shandong Luneng FC has been delayed to allow the former Manchester United midfielder treatment for a calf injury, his new coach said.
The 31-year-old arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday to meet with teammates and sign autographs for fans, but missed training and flew home to Belgium that night for treatment.
Fellaini had been expected to make his first appearance with the club at Hong Kong's annual Lunar New Year Cup invitational on Tuesday.
"Of course we are very happy that he is joining the club," Shandong coach Li Xiaopeng told reporters. "But between his health and the game, we think that his health is the more important."
Li did not say whether the Belgium international would recover for the start of the Chinese Super League (CSL) on March 1.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/marouane_fellaini-afp_2.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The race to join Asia’s elite in the group stage of the 2019 AFC Champions League will kick start on Tuesday, as Ceres Negros of the Philippines meet Yangon United FC of Myanmar at Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium while Singapore’s Home United face Persija Jakarta of Indonesia at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
With 32 teams confirming their places in the group stage, the preliminary stage will see 27 aspiring football clubs in Asia from 22 Member Associations vying for the eight remaining spots in the group stage.
In another preliminary stage match played on the same day, Al Wehdat of Jordan meet Kuwait SC at the King Abdullah II Stadium.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Six teams from the East and West region will begin their pursuit of reaching the 2019 AFC Champions League Finals as they clash on Tuesday, join the-AFC.com as we take a closer look of who, where and when the competition takes place.
Preliminary Stage 1 – West Zone
February 5: Al Wehdat (JOR) v Kuwait SC (KUW)
King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, 1900 local time
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Japanese forward Shoya Nakajima has signed for Al Duhail as the Qatar club look to defend their league title and mount a strong challenge in the 2019 AFC Champions League season.
Nakajima joins Al Duhail, who won the Qatar Stars League, Qatar Cup and Emir Cup in 2018, from Portuguese club Portimonense.
"I will be moving from Portimonense to Al-Duhail," Nakajima wrote on his official blog.
"I'll continue to have fun playing football and work hard to get better at it! I had a wonderful time at Portimonense. I thank the club officials, the staff, and my teammates. I hope to enjoy my days at Al Duhail as much as possible!"
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Shanghai: Korea Republic defender Kim Min-jae has signed for Beijing Guoan.
The 22-year-old centre-back, whose club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors said they had received a bid from Watford reported to be about US$8 million, instead plumped for the Chinese Super League (CSL).
Guoan, who finished fourth in the CSL last season, announced Kim's signing but did not disclose the size of the transfer fee.
Coached by Germany's Roger Schmidt, Guoan will be hoping the established international can stiffen a defence that conceded 45 goals in the CSL last season.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: Australia's Sydney FC have strengthened their squad ahead of their 2019 AFC Champions League campaign, signing former Islamic Republic of Iran star Reza Ghoochannejhad on a half-season loan deal.
The striker joins from Cypriot champions APOEL, and becomes the first Iranian to feature for the A-League outfit.
Ghoochannejhad, who scored 17 goals in 44 appearances for Team Melli before his international retirement at the end of last year's FIFA World Cup, revealed his happiness at putting pen to paper.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Riyadh: Australia international defender Milos Degenek has joined Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC from Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade, it has been announced.
The 24-year-old, who is currently on duty for his country at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, put pen to paper in Dubai on Saturday after agreeing a reported three-and-a-half year deal.