Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Guangzhou: Leading ACL goal scorer Muriqui is tipping Guangzhou Evergrande to improve on their showing in last year’s continental club championship by advancing beyond Qatar’s Lekhwiya and into the semi-finals of the 2013 AFC Champions League.
Guangzhou were eliminated at the quarter-final stage in 2012 in their debut appearance in the competition by two-time champions Al Ittihad from Saudi Arabia but Muriqui (Luiz Guilherme Da Conceicao Silva), who has scored eight times in eight AFC Champions League games so far this year, is confident Marcello Lippi’s side can go further than ever in the competition.
The back-to-back Chinese champions host the Qataris at Tianhe Stadium in the first leg of their quarter-final on August 21 with the return in Doha on Septmeber 18, with the winners facing off against either Kashiwa Reysol of Japan or Al Shabab from Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals later in September.
“I believe this season Guangzhou are stronger than last year because we are more stable, mature and confident,” said the 27-year-old.
“We gained valuable experience from our first season in the AFC Champions League, which will help us to pay attention and overcome any disadvantages and defeat our opponents in the competition, especially against West Asian teams.
“This year is the second season that Guangzhou Evergrande have played in the AFC Champions League. We have the best coach in the world, top players and we have more mature tactics than last year.
“We have also gained a lot of experience in how to beat teams from Japan, Korea, Australia, Thailand and also Saudi Arabia which gives us a lot more confidence and we are more eager to win.
“We lost in the quarterfinals last year; however, we are hoping to move to at least the next stage this year as we have more experience and a stronger squad. We hope that we can achieve a better result than last season and be fighting for the AFC Champions League title at the end.”
Muriqui missed the second leg of Guangzhou’s last eight encounter in 2012 due to injury but the striker has picked up where he left off this year, averaging a goal a game so far in the competition amid a string of impressive individual performances by the former Chinese Super League Player of the Year.
“We have strong support from the owners, we also have good management and a healthy financial situation and all these things enable Guangzhou to achieve continuous victories,” said Muriqui.
“And another thing I have to mention again, we have a world-class coaching team, Marcello Lippi has given us an advanced football philosophy.
“Marcello Lippi is one of the best coaches in the world and he brings with him advanced training and tactical theory to Guangzhou Evergrande. As a rigorous team manager, he infects a winning faith into every Evergrande player and assists the team to become stronger and stronger.
“And finally, we play as a team. All of these elements make us strong and help us to remain on the road to be champions.”
The two-time Chinese Super League champions entertain quarter-final debutants Lekhwiya, who finished as runners-up in the 2013 Qatar Stars League, and the Eric Gerets-coached side will go into the game without having played a competitive match since May.
“We do not know a lot about Lekhwiya, but I am sure that they are a great team as every team who has reached this stage have good players,” said Muriqui. “Every match in the knockout stage will be great and I am looking forward to competing to become the winner of the AFC Champions League this year.
“Our squad has not changed very much and this is better for us as it allows players the time to implement the coaches’ tactical arrangements to ensure the players achieve their best in the AFC Champions League.
“And this is something we have proven both in the AFC Champions League as well as in the Chinese Super League.”