ACL teams eyeing place in the final against Perspolis
The Qatari capital Doha is getting ready for the launch of the important event hoping it will be as successful as the east region competition was.
The battle for a place in the ACL final gets underway on Wednesday in Doha with all teams in the west region competition hoping to join Iranian Perspolis in the tournament's decider on 19 December at Al-Janoub stadium.
Similar to the organization of the east region competition, players and staff will be subjected to extremely strict precautionary measures in a bid to fight any potential spread of the covid-19 infection among participating teams.
The six group games will start with a face-off between the Australian league runner-up for the season 2018-2019 Perth Glory and Shanghai Greenland Shenhua of China who are playing their first game in the group stage.
In the fifth group, the two-time ACL runner-up FC Seoul are taking on China's Bejing on Saturday with both teams having managed to bag three points ahead of their clash.
Guangzhou struggling with Paulinho injured
On Sunday, South Korean Suwon Samsung Bluewings who are on a mission to revive their hopes of qualifying to the Round of 16 as they are facing the 2013 and 2015 champions Guangzhou Evergrande of China who have recently received a serious hit by the injury of their star and top scorer Paulinho who had sustained a groin injury.
It appears like the eighth group will witness an incredibly fierce competition as the group comprises Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors who are targeting a historic treble following their successful domestic campaign, along with Chinese giants Shanghai SIPG, Australia's Sydney FC, with Japanese Yokohama F. Marinos are currently on top of the group standings and set to take on Shanghai on 25 November.
To ensure everyone's safety all members of teams' expeditions are required to undergo a covid-19 test before leaving their countries and another test upon their arrival in Qatar with regular tests are set to be conducted later every 3-6 days.