AFC Champions League Final: Guangzhou Evergrande Facts & Figures

Overview

After making history in 2013 by defeating FC Seoul to become the first Chinese team to win the AFC Champions League, Guangzhou Evergrande came up short in their title defence last year as they went out in the quarter-finals to Western Sydney Wanderers on away goals.

They won their fourth consecutive Chinese Super League title in 2014 to qualify for the AFC Champions League again and began well in Group H this season with wins in their first three games. They managed only one point from their last three games but it was still enough to put them at the top of a tough group that included Western Sydney, FC Seoul and Japanese side Kashima Antlers.

Guangzhou’s poor run continued in the last 16 when they lost 2-1 at Seongnam FC in the first leg but Ricardo Goulart ended a four-game drought to score twice in the return match as the Chinese club won 2-0 to advance to the quarter-finals for a fourth straight year.

They defeated Japanese opposition in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, overcoming Kashiwa Reysol 4-2 on aggregate in the last eight before edging past 2008 AFC Champions League winners Gamba Osaka 2-1 on aggregate to reach the final for the second time in three years.

AFC Champions League record
2014 – Quarter-Finals
2013 – Champions
2012 – Quarter-Finals

Team

• Guangzhou Evergrande are the fifth club to reach the AFC Champions League final on more than one occasion after Al Ain (2003 & 2005), Al Ittihad (2004, 2005 & 2009), Seongnam (2004 & 2010) and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2006 & 2011).
• They are looking to become just the second team to win the AFC Champions League twice after Al Ittihad who won back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005.
• Guangzhou have visited the Middle East twice before in the competition, losing 4-2 to Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia in the 2012 quarter-finals and beating Lekhwiya 4-1 in Qatar in the 2013 quarter-finals.
• They have not been beaten in any of the 21 competitive matches they have played since Luiz Felipe Scolari replaced Fabio Cannavaro as their head coach in June. Scolari, who turns 67 on 9 November, is trying to become the second coach to win both the FIFA World Cup and AFC Champions League after ex-Guangzhou boss Marcello Lippi.
• Since losing 2-1 to Seongnam FC in the first leg of the Round of 16, Guangzhou have been unbeaten in their last five AFC Champions League games.
• The 0-0 draw with Gamba Osaka in the second leg of the semi-finals was their fourth clean sheet in 12 games in this season’s competition

Players

• Despite failing to score in Guangzhou’s last four games, Brazilian forward Ricardo Goulart remains the leading scorer in the tournament with eight goals. His closest challenger is Al Ahli’s Ahmed Khalil who has six.
• Zheng Zhi’s winner in the 2-1 aggregate victory over Gamba in the semi-finals was the Guangzhou captain’s first AFC Champions League goal since a 4-1 win over Muangthong United in April 2013.
• Several players are looking to win a second AFC Champions League title with the club. Goalkeeper Zeng Cheng, defenders Zhang Linpeng, Feng Xiaoting and Kim Young-gwon, midfielders Zheng Zhi, Huang Bowen and Zhao Xuri, and forwards Elkeson and Gao Lin all played for Guangzhou in the final against FC Seoul two years ago.
• Brazilian midfielder Paulinho is also trying to win a second continental club title after helping Corinthians to win the Copa Libertadores in 2012 with a 3-1 aggregate victory over Argentina’s Boca Juniors in the final.
• Korean defender Kim Young-gwon will miss the first leg of the final through suspension after he received his second yellow card of the Knockout Stage during the 0-0 draw with Gamba Osaka in the second leg of the semi-finals

Head Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Born: November 9, 1948 (66)
Nationality: Brazilian

After an unremarkable playing career, Luiz Felipe Scolari has found great success as a coach, leading Brazil to their fifth FIFA World Cup title in 2002 and taking Portugal to the final of Euro 2004 and the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup.

In his 33 years of coaching, the Brazilian has also won Copa Libertadores titles with Gremio in 1995 and Palmeiras in 1999 and he took charge of teams in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Japan, England and Uzbekistan before accepting the Guangzhou Evergrande job in June following the departure of Fabio Cannavaro.

Photo: WSG