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Apr 12, 2014   |  8:23PM AET

Preview: Guangzhou set for Melbourne classic

Preview: Guangzhou set for Melbourne classic

Melbourne Victory’s Asian Champions League campaign will continue next Tuesday, as reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande make their first trip to Melbourne.

Melbourne Victory’s Asian Champions League campaign will continue next Tuesday, as reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande make their first trip to Melbourne.

Click here to purchase your tickets for Tuesday night’s important Champions League encounter.

The table in Group G is a tight affair, with Guangzhou and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors sitting first and second with seven points, while Victory and Yokohama are also tied on four points meaning a win on Tuesday will see Victory draw level with Guangzhou.

Both teams will have it all to play for, so it won’t be surprising to see two strong squads at Docklands for Tuesday night’s clash.

When Victory traveled to China for Match Day 1, it was a flying start for the boys in blue who managed to head into the half-time break with a 2-0 lead.

But Guangzhou fought back strongly for an impressive 4-2 win, thanks largely to the class of their big 2014 recruit, Italian international Alessadro Diamanti.

It’s set to be a mouthwatering match-up on Tuesday night.

The Coach
Marcello Lippi is no stranger to success.

The 65-year-old Italian has seen success around the world and at the highest level, even bringing home the 2006 World Cup for the Azzurri.

At club level, Lippi has led Juventus, Napoli, Atalanta and now Guangzhou Evergrande, to name just a few, and success has followed him to China.

His list of achievements is extremely impressive, having managed his various sides to a World Cup title, two Chinese Super League titles, five Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, a Chinese FA Cup, four Italian Supercups, one UEFA Champions League trophy, an AFC Champions League, one UEFA Supercup and an Intercontinental Cup.

Key Players
On paper, Guangzhou-s squad is extremely strong and its class has been shown throughout this year’s Champions League campaign.

Diamanti, who inspired a fighting comeback in February against Victory, will again be crucial to Lippi’s side.

Brazilian Elkeson is one who regularly finds the back of the net for his side and has impressed since joining the Chinese champions in 2013.

Elkeson-s countryman, Muriqui, also knows how to score with ease. In his 86 appearances for Lippi-s side, Muriqui has scored 50 times – a strike-rate any forward would be proud of.

And it isn-t just the foreign players on their squad that are a daunting prospect, with many of the Chinese players in Lippi-s squad regulars in the senior Chinese national side.

Melbourne Victory take on Guangzhou Evergrande at Docklands on Tuesday, April 15, with kick-off at 7:30pm.