FC Seoul players taking part in a training session in Doha, yesterday. Picture: Instagram/@fcseoul
Doha: Beijing FC are fresh, match-fit and ready to win when they resume their 2020 AFC Champions League (ACL) campaign against FC Seoul today , according to head coach Bruno Génésio.
Out of action on the continental stage since February, but with a full Chinese Super League campaign under their belt, the Chinese outfit are confident of mounting a challenge in a competition where they have been regular participants, but rarely serious contenders.
With three points in the bank from their earlier hit out against Chiangrai United, Génésio’s charges will have the opportunity to rise to the top of Group E with a win at Education City Stadium, and the Frenchman declared there was a sense of optimism around the club, despite what has been a challenging 2020.
“When you start a competition, you must have ambition to win, no matter what competition it is,” said the former Olympique Lyonnais boss.
“We have come here, and the first objective, of course, is to qualify from the group. We will try to win the games with all the ambition, and I think our advantage is that we just finished our Chinese Super League. Our team has a good rhythm compared to the other teams (in the group), and we’ll try to do as well as possible here.”
While Beijing are keen to capitalise on a sense of continuity, FC Seoul arrived at the tournament having appointed Lee Won-jun as caretaker coach just seven days ago, making him the fourth man to take charge of the club in 2020.
After finishing third in the K League in 2019, this year has been an exceptionally difficult one for Seoul, who finished a disappointing ninth in their domestic competition and more recently suffered the tragic loss of defender Kim Nam-chun, who passed away last month.
In the day's second match, Ulsan Hyundai and Shanghai Shenhua will meet in Group F at the same venue.
The Korea Republic side picked up a point from a 1-1 draw against FC Tokyo back in February, needing a late own goal from the opposition to secure the draw.
Shanghai Shenhua, meanwhile, have three points to their name having got off to a 2-1 winning start against Perth Glory on Wednesday.
Ulsan Hyundai are without the services of goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo who tested positive for COVID-19 while on international duty, while his fellow club and country teammates Kim Tae-hwan, Jung Seung-hyun and Won Du-jae remain in precautionary isolation, having tested negative after arriving to Qatar from the Korea Republic training camp in Austria.
