The AFC Champions League 2010 will begin on February 23, with 32 of Asia’s most successful clubs competing for the title and a spot in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup.
The AFC Champions League 2010 will begin on February 23, with 32 of Asia’s most successful clubs competing for the title and a spot in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup.
Melbourne Victory became the first team to qualify for Asia’s premier club competition when it won the Hyundai A-League 2008/09 Premiership in January this year.
Adelaide United is Australia’s other representative, with teams from Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Japan, Korea Republic, China and Indonesia having also secured places in next year’s tournament.
As of November 30, only three AFC Champions League 2010 spots remain, with one team from Japan and the play-off winners from West Asia and East Asia still to be determined.
Similarly to the AFC Champions League 2009, Australia’s representatives in 2010 will be grouped against one team from Japan, China and Korea Republic respectively, with the AFC Champions League draw on Monday, December 7 to reveal Melbourne Victory’s opponents and schedule.
The 32 clubs will be divided into eight groups of four, based on region, with each club to play home and away matches against the other three teams in its group.
Melbourne Victory last competed in the AFC Champions League in 2008, finishing second in Group G behind Japan’s Gamba Osaka, which went on to win the tournament by defeating Adelaide 5-0 on aggregate in the Final.
The competition’s format has since changed, with the top two teams from each of the eight groups of four to progress to the Round of 16.
The schedule for the AFC Champions League 2010 is as follows:
Match Day 1: February 23/24
Match Day 2: March 9/10
Match Day 3: March 23/24
Match Day 4: March 30/31
Match Day 5: April 13/14
Match Day 6: April 27/28
Round of 16: May 11/12
Quarter Finals 1st Leg: September 15
Quarter Finals 2nd Leg: September 22
Semi Finals 1st Leg: October 6
Semi Finals 2nd Leg: October 20
Final: November 12 or 13
The teams that have qualified for the AFC Champions League 2010 are as follows:
West Asia: Esteghlal (Iran), Zob Ahan (Iran), Mes Kerman (Iran), Sepahan (Iran), Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia), Al-Shabab (Saudi Arabia), Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia), Al-Ahli (UAE), Al-Ain (UAE), Al-Jazira (UAE), Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan), Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan), Al-Gharafa (Qatar), Al-Sadd (Qatar)
East Asia: Kashima Antlers (Japan), Kawasaki Frontale (Japan), Gamba Osaka (Japan), Beijing Guoan (China), Changchun Yatai (China), Henan Construction (China), Shandong Luneng (China), Melbourne Victory (Australia), Adelaide United (Australia), Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Korea Republic), Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea Republic), Pohang Steelers (Korea Republic), Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (Korea Republic), Persipura Jayapura (Indonesia)
