Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Guangzhou: FC Seoul coach Choi Yong-soo has promised his side will take an attacking approach to the AFC Champions League this year as the K-League Classic club prepare for a re-run of the 2013 final against Guangzhou Evergrande in Group H on Wednesday evening.
Choi’s side handed Vietnam’s Hanoi T&T a 7-0 thrashing in the final round of preliminary matches last week to secure their place in Group H and the former Korea Republic striker believes fans will see more goals this year after the club’s struggles in front of goal last season.
“Compared with last year, this year we have a different style,” said the AFC Coach of the Year for 2013. “This year we will play attacking football, if our opponent scores three goals, we can score four or five back.
“Last time in the AFC Champions League final we lost to Evergrande, but in my eyes I don't see us as a loser. I never see my own team as a loser. We are maintaining a very positive attitude, we are well prepared. This is the first group game, so I won't give them too much pressure.”
Choi is hopeful his team will have an advantage against a Guangzhou team making their first competitive appearance of the year and under new coach Fabio Cannavaro.
“Evergrande is experiencing a big change due to their change of head coach,” said Choi. “They are a team with strong team work and impressive individual ability.
“We are only focused on team work, and recently you could see improvement in our attacking and defending. The season is just starting, you will see what we've achieved.
“In our last game we scored a lot, and showed our strengths and weakness. Tomorrow will be Evergrande's first 2015 AFC Champions League game and we don't know what weakness they have. They are also playing with home advantage. But we will try to score.”
Italian World Cup winning captain Cannavaro took over as Guangzhou Evergrande coach at the start of the year after Marcello Lippi moved upstairs to become the club’s technical director, and the former Juventus central defender knows his team face a stern test in their opening AFC Champions League game of 2015.
“FC Seoul are an old rival, they were our (2013) AFC Champions League final opponent, so we are fully prepared to face a very difficult match,” he said. “FC Seoul scored seven times in the qualifier, they were very impressive. Our players have to be very focused and be observant.”
Cannavaro’s arrival is not the only major change for Guangzhou, who have lost the services of Italian duo Alberto Gilardino and Alessandro Diamanti, with both returning to their homeland to join Fiorentina on loan for the remainder of the Serie A season.
As a result, the new coach will be looking to give several new signings the opportunity to prove their worth to the team.
“This is the first AFC Champions League game for Ricardo Goulart and Alan,” he said. “There are no doubts in their individual ability, given their career history.
“To be in a new country and a football league, they need time to settle. They just finished a Super Cup match, and they seemed have done well.”
One player missing from the Guangzhou line-up is Zhang Linpeng, with the China international defender ruled out with an ankle injury.
Photo: AFP