February 25
The AFC officially announced a major move: from the 2023/2024 season, the number of foreign aid places will be increased from "3+1" (3 for foreign aid, 1 for Asian foreign aid) to "5+1", and the format will be changed to a new year's system. There is no doubt that the AFC has been restructured in this way to increase the attractiveness of the AFC Champions League and to integrate with the mainstream of the world from the format. However, for the current Chinese Super League, it is not difficult to follow the reform of the AFC Champions League, and at this stage, you may only choose to look at it coldly.
At present, due to the impact of the global epidemic, the mainland implements the "14+7" control and isolation measures for those who return from abroad, so when competing in the AFC Champions League for nearly two seasons, the participating teams from the Chinese Super League have chosen to supplement the reserve team with a small amount of foreign aid. To ensure the competitiveness of the team in the Chinese Super League, the AFC Champions League has become the first choice for Chinese Super League teams.
Even if the epidemic ends in the future, the new format implemented by the AFC may not get more positive responses from Chinese Super League teams. If the Chinese Super League still maintains the "spring-autumn" format, then after the end of the league, the Chinese Super League team that has been physically and mentally exhausted give up the rare vacation period to participate in the AFC Champions League, at least in terms of enthusiasm, and in the winter, the north of the mainland enters a cold period, which is not suitable for football matches.
In addition, the current regulations of the Chinese Super League are that each team can register five foreign aides, and where the foreign aid comes from is not limited, if in accordance with the new rules of the AFC Champions League foreign aid, then the new foreign aid is very likely to become a spectator in the Chinese Super League, can only participate in the AFC Champions League, which is idle and wasteful of resources for Chinese Super League clubs. On the whole, at this stage, Chinese Super League clubs may be more of a wait-and-see for the new AFC Champions League, and if they want to make a difference in the AFC Champions League, it is not something that will be achieved in a moment and a half.
Photo: Xinhua News Agency