Depleted Tianjin turning to Pato for Asian glory
SEOUL, South Korea — Without other star imports Axel Witsel and Anthony Modeste, Tianjin Quanjian will be looking to Alexandre Pato in Tuesday’s Asian Champions League quarterfinal against Kashima Antlers of Japan.
China’s sole remaining participant in the tournament lost Witsel earlier this month after German club Borussia Dortmund met the Belgian international’s $23.3 million release clause.
Meanwhile, French striker Modeste is involved in a contract dispute with the Chinese Super League club and has not played since Aug 1.
Pato, formerly of AC Milan and Chelsea, has scored 10 goals in 14 league games this season, but with last week’s victory the first in seven games for Tianjin, coach Paulo Sousa is under pressure.
“We have had to change the way we play and our strategy because of the changes in personnel,” said Sousa, the former Portuguese international who won back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles with Juventus and Borussia Dortmund in 1996 and 1997.
“Our lineup has been incomplete, including red and yellow cards and injuries.”
Tianjin is making its first appearance in the continental competition and knocked out CSL champion Guangzhou Evergrande in the second round in May. Eight-time Japanese champion Kashima defeated Shanghai SIPG in the previous round.
“Japanese players are very good technically and the pace of the game will be fast,” added Sousa.
“We have to defend the center and wings, and I am sure we will produce the right performance.”
The other east Asian clash is an all-South Korean affair between Jeonbuk Motors and Suwon Bluewings, two clubs with four continental titles between them.
The match also features the two highest-scoring strikers in Champions League history — Lee Dong-guk of Jeonbuk has found the target 36 times in the tournament and Suwon’s Dejan Damjanovic has netted 32 times.
“He is unbelievable and keeps pushing me to be better and better,” Damjanovic said. “He’s doing great things with Jeonbuk, but I will do my best to catch him.
“I’m happy that the two top scoring strikers in Asia are from the K-League and I know I will have my chances to catch him for the record.
Jeonbuk, champion in 2016, is returning to the tournament following its ban in 2017 after a former club scout was found guilty of bribing referees in 2013.
“Dejan is one of the best foreign players in K-League history,” Lee said. “I will do my best to compete with him in the ACL and the K-League. However, this quarterfinal will be won by me and my team Jeonbuk.”
In west Asia — the tournament being divided into two geographic zones until the final — both games are between Qatari and Iranian teams.
Al Sadd, the last west Asian winner back in 2011, has former Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez in midfield and travels to Teheran to take on Esteghlal.