There is hardly anything sweeter than midweek football, especially when the domestic game has been largely on standstill at the top level for the past few months.
Yet while the upcoming FFA Cup narratives will be well covered in Australian media, spare a thought for the Asian Champions League, which returns for the first time since May.
Wednesday night offers some juicy action in the FFA Cup, including Adelaide United’s clash with Sydney FC and Queensland Lions’ bid to produce a giant-killing against Perth Glory, yet eight of Asia’s best clubs from the past year will also fight it out for a place in the Asian Champions League semi-finals.
If Australia football wants to continue to grow in Asia, and be taken more seriously by the Asian Football Confederation, embracing the continent’s premier club competition must continue. And what better way than tuning in on television sets.
A year ago Australian football fans, and especially Western Sydney supporters, were transfixed with the Wanderers’ road to the Asian Champions League semi-finals.
Now, however, there is next to no involvement from Australian clubs or personnel, but that does not mean the competition is not worth following.
Only Japan boast two clubs still in the competition, with one apiece from China, South Korea, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar. Out of the eight clubs, four are previous champions, while there is also a debutant to give the tournament its token underdog.
Al-Hilal Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) versus Lekhwiya SC (Qatar) – August 26, 3:50am AEDT
Last year’s finalist Al-Hilal, who will forever be etched into the minds of Australia football fans thanks to Nasser Al-Shamrani’s antics, have struggled to shake off their dodgy reputation.
After being hit with a suspended sentence following fan misbehaviour in the second leg of the 2014 ACL grand final, the club have been punished for more trouble.
During the second leg of the club’s round of 16 tie against Iranian side Persepolis in May, fans reportedly threw objects at opposition officials prior to and during the match.
It means their home leg against Qatari champions Lekhwiya, who have reached the quarter-finals for the second time in four Champions League forays, will be played out in front of an empty stadium.
The sanction should help even out the first leg with Al-Hilal unable to call upon their hostile home supporters. Al-Shamrani will not be involved but Brazilian striker Ailton, who scored in the club’s opening win of the Saudi Professional League last week, will lead the line.
Naft Tehran FC (Iran) versus Al-Ahli (UAE) – August 27, 12.30am AEDT
Naft Tehran are the surprise packets of the 2015 Asian Champions League, having qualified for the group stages for the first time in their history this season.
They finished second in their group to make the round of 16 and saw of Al-Ahli (from Saudi Arabia) on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate. Now they come up against Al-Ahli (from UAE).
They have had a tough start to the Persian Gulf Pro League, however, failing to win their opening four fixtures with three draws and a loss. Hardly inspiring form heading into the quarter-final clash where they will already start as underdogs.
Al-Ahli, the 2013-14 UAE champions, should be confident of progression to the semi-finals.
The Dubai-based club signalled their intention for winning the ACL with the capture of Brazilian striker Lima from Benfica last month. He scored 19 goals for Benfica last season as the club defended its Primeira Liga title.
The Emiratis also boast Brazilian playmaker Everton Ribeiro, South Korean midfield general Kwon Kyung-won as well as a host of prominent locals such as Walid Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi and Ahmed Khalil, who has scored five goals in the Champions League.
Under Romanian coach Cosmin Olaroiu, they will be targeting the grand final.
Kashiwa Reysol (Japan) versus Guangzhou Evergrande (China) – August 25, 8pm AEDT
Guangzhou are well known as heavyweights in Asia thanks to their cash-rich owners. Boasting a world-class coach in Luiz Felipe Scolari, the club have improved their star-studded line-up from last season.
Gone are Italians Alessandro Diamanti and Alberto Gilardino, but they have been replaced more than sufficiently with Brazilians Robinho (from AC Milan via Santos) and Paulinho (former Tottenham midfielder).
Also incoming since last season’s Champions League campaign has been compatriot Ricardo Goulart, who has been on fire both in China and in the ACL.
Goulart is top scorer in the Champions League with eight goals, while he has also netted 13 in the Chinese Super League. Add in inspirational captain Zhi Zheng and last season’s impressive performer Elkeson and Guangzhou are favourites for the title.
Marcello Lippi was visibly irate at his side’s inability to get past a plucky Western Sydney side in last year’s quarter-finals and replacement Scolari will not settle for anything less than the title this time around.
Guangzhou face Kashiwa Reysol, who currently sit third in the J. League and boast a mixture of local stars with three Brazilian imports – Cristiano, Ederson and Eduardo. They will be out for revenge against Guangzhou, having lost 8-1 on aggregate in the 2013 semi-finals to the eventual champions.
Jeonbuk Hyundai (South Korea) versus Gamba Osaka (Japan) – August 26, 8pm AEDT
Jeonbuk have a rich pedigree in the Champions League, ever since being crowned surprise winners in 2006.
The defending K League champions currently boast a considerable points-gap over Suwon Bluewings and have therefore had plenty of time to focus on another deep run in the ACL. Head coach Choi Kang-hee targeted the title at the start of the season and has led his side to an unbeaten home record in Asia so far.
Brazilians Edu and Eninho have both left the club recently but they have been replaced with compatriot Luiz Henrique and Spaniard Urko Vera. And of course there is Socceroo Alex Wilkinson in central defence.
They face Gamba Osaka, where the evergreen Yasuhito Endo is still pulling strings in midfield.
Their latest star, however, is 23-year-old Takashi Usami, who had a brief spell at Bayern Munich earlier in his career. He joins Brazilian Patric to combine for a dangerous strike force, so Wilkinson will be busy across both legs.
This could be the tie of the quarter-finals with the two former champions looking for another title.
The Asian Champions League is still admittedly a minor concern of Australian football fans, especially when there are no A-League clubs competing. Yet the quality on show is as good as it gets in the continent and the action from the quarter-finals onwards will be more than entertaining.
If nothing else the star power among some of the richer clubs should provide fans with a reason to tune in.
With FFA Cup football sandwiched in between, it is a good week to get back into domestic and Asian football after a long break.
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