Reporter Cheng Shan reported that after the second round of the AFC Champions League, the whole Harbour team continued to prepare for the last three rounds of the league in Shanghai. Due to the transfer of some of the main players in the national number competition, in the preparation for this period of time, coach Muscat also focused on recovery, adjustment and how to prepare for the next last stage of the league.
After finishing the "Devil's September" journey, the Harbour team completed the second round of the AFC Champions League Elite League away match against Pohang Iron Man on the evening of October 1, and the whole team returned to Shanghai on the afternoon of October 2. In addition to the national number players who went non-stop to report to the national team, the other players were given a rare three-day vacation.
It was a tough September for Harbour, with six games played over 18 days, with almost two days between some games, including long journeys. Despite the intense schedule and the transition of the three-front battle, the whole harbor did not dare to relax at all. After all, whether it's the Chinese Super League title, the FA Cup title or a good record in the Asian arena, the team wants to do its best.
In addition to failing to get the expected results in the extremely expensive AFC Champions League, the Harbour has gained on both fronts at home, but leading the league and entering the FA Cup final cannot hide the impact on the team's physical fitness under the high-intensity competition. After all, according to the strength of the harbor today, it is not unexpected to dominate the Chinese Super League, but if they want to gain something on a stage like the AFC Champions League Elite League, they still lack.
The results of one draw and one loss in the Asian arena have also made Harbour see clearly its more important fighting direction. Although coach Muscat once said that "the three lines are like their own children", no one will give up, but looking at the schedule, there are only three rounds of time before the end of the Chinese Super League.
With third-placed Chengdu Rongcheng no longer able to overtake the top two teams, this season's Chinese Super League title will definitely go to Shanghai Tang. Judging from the remaining three rounds of matchups, Shenhua needs to win all of Henan, Shenzhen and Chengdu, and hope that Haigang will not be able to win all of Chengdu, Cangzhou and Tianjin in order to achieve the final overtake. At present, there are a number of injuries in the chaser Shanghai Shenhua team, and the injuries of Chinese players Zhu Chenjie and Yang Zexiang are unclear, which is bound to affect Shenhua's next three major matches.
Of course, the uncertainty also arises on the seaport side. Wu Lei's injury has always worried fans. In the Chinese Super League game on September 28, Wu Lei left the field in the first half due to a rib injury. He has not played in the Harbour AFC Champions League since then and has also not featured in international competitions. Recently, Wu Lei has been receiving treatment in a hospital in Shanghai.
As the core of the team, Wu Lei's health is really key to Harbour. However, Muscat said, "The success of a team depends on the strength of the team, not the individual. Regarding Wu Lei's current situation, Muscat expressed his concerns, but he will focus more on the next opponent, that is, Chengdu Rongcheng against on the 18th.
Compared with Shanghai Shenhua's opponent Henan, Chengdu Rongcheng faced by Shanghai Port in this round is not easy to deal with. Although they are no longer competitive for the title, Rongcheng's goal this year is clear: to finish third in the league and qualify for next season's Asian competition. Chengdu Rongcheng is behind Beijing Guoan, and the current point gap between the two teams is 6 points, so in this game with the harbor, Rongcheng will never back down half a point. It is worth mentioning that in addition to playing against Shanghai Port, Chengdu Rongcheng will also play Shanghai Shenhua in the final round of the league. Therefore, the outside world also joked that the decision on the ownership of this year's Chinese Super League championship is in the hands of Rongcheng.
After regrouping on the 6th, the Harbour team began to prepare for the game at the Century Park training ground. In addition to making physical adjustments for the players and checking everyone's physical condition, Muscat also focused on technical and tactical preparations for Chengdu Rongcheng. It is reported that the harbor will go to Chengdu on the 17th, and whether Wu Lei can play smoothly will also become the key to the game.