The CSL’s fanbase is growing year on year with the 2018 season set to be the most anticipated in a while. Many teams look set to battle for the top spots as well as those who’ll be fighting for relegation. Us at Chinese Super League UK certainly cannot wait.
What better way to get you ready for the upcoming season than by doing a profile on each side, except for Dalian Yifang and Beijing Renhe, for whom you can find in-depth pieces by clicking on either team.
Beijing Guoan:
Stadium: Workers’ Stadium, Capacity of 66,161
Manager: Roger Schmidt
Star Players: Cedric Bakambu, Renato Augusto
Last Seasons’ Finish: 9th
Honours: 1 Chinese Super League – 2009. 5 Jia A Leagues – 1957,1958, 1973, 1982, 1984. 4 Chinese FA Cups – 1985, 1996, 1997, 2003
Predicted Finish: 4th-6th
Changchun Yatai:
Stadium: Development Area Stadium, Capacity of 25,000
Manager: Chen Jingang (Caretaker)
Star Players: Odion Ighalo, Lasse Vibe
Last Seasons’ Finish: 7th
Honours: 1 Chinese Super League- 2007, 1 Chinese League One Title- 2003.
Predicted Finish: 11th-16th
Chongqing Lifan:
Stadium: Chongqing Olympic Sports Center, Capacity of 58,680
Manager: Paulo Bento
Star Player: Alan Kardec
Last Seasons’ Finish: 10th
Honours: 2 Chinese League 1 titles- 1996, 2014. 1 Chinese FA Cup – 2000
Predicted Finish: 11th-16th
Guangzhou Evergrande:
Stadium: Tianhe Stadium, Capacity of 58,500.
Manager: Fabio Cannavaro
Star Players: Ricardo Goulart, Nemanja Gudelj
Last Seasons’ Finish: 1st
Honours: 7 Chinese Super League Titles- 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. 5 Chinese League 1 Titles- 1956, 1958, 1981, 2007, 2010. 2 Chinese FA Cups- 2012, 2016. 3 Chinese Super Cups- 2012, 2016, 2017. 2 AFC Champions League Titles- 2013, 2015.
Predicted Finish: 1st
Guangzhou R&F:
Stadium: Yuexiushan Stadium, Capacity of 18,000
Manager: Dragan Stojkovic
Star Player: Eran Zahavi
Last Seasons’ Finish: 5th
Honours: N/A
Predicted Finish: 7th-10th
Guizhou Hengfeng:
Stadium: Guiyang Olympic Sports Centre, Capacity of 52,888
Manager: Gregorio Manzano
Star Players: Mario Suarez, Nikica Jelavic
Last Seasons’ Finish: 8th
Honours: 1 Chinese League Two Title- 2012.
Predicted Finish: 11th-16th
Hebei CFFC:
Stadium: Langfang Stadium, Capacity of 30,000
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini
Star Players: Gervinho, Javier Mascherano, Ezequiel Lavezzi
Last Seasons’ Finish: 4th
Honours: N/A
Predicted Finish: 3rd
Henan Jianye:
Stadium: Zhengzhou Hanghai Stadium, Capacity of 29,860
Manager: Dragan Talajic
Star Players: Christian Bassagog, Ricardo Vaz Te
Last Seasons’ Finish: 14th
Honours: 3 Chinese League One Titles- 1989, 2006, 2013. 2 Chinese League Two Titles- 1982, 1999.
Predicted Finish: 11th-16th
Jiangsu Suning:
Stadium: Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre, Capacity of 61,443
Manager: Fabio Capello
Star Players: Alex Teixeira, Benjamin Moukandjo
Last Seasons’ Finish:12th
Honours: 2 Chinese League One Titles- 1992, 2008. 1 Chinese League Two Title- 1997
Predicted Finish: 11th-16th
Shandong Luneng:
Stadium: Jinan Olympic Sports Centre, Capacity of 56,808
Manager: Li Xiaopeng
Star Players: Papiss Cisse, Graziano Pelle
Last Seasons’ Finish: 6th
Honours: 4 Chinese Super League Titles- 1999, 2006, 2008, 2010. 5 Chinese FA Cups- 1995, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2014. 2 Chinese Super Cups- 1995, 2015.
Predicted Finish: 7th-10th
Shanghai Shenhua:
Stadium: Hongkou Football Stadium, Capacity of 33,060
Manager: Wu Jingui
Star Players: Giovanni Moreno, Obafemi Martins, Fredy Guarin
Last Seasons’ Finish: 11th
Honours: 3 Chinese Super Leagues- 1961, 1962, 1995. 4 Chinese FA Cups- 1956, 1991, 1998, 2017. 3 Chinese Super Cups- 1995, 1998, 2001.
Predicted Finish: 7th-10th
Shanghai SIPG:
Stadium: Shanghai Stadium, Capacity of 56,000
Manager: Vitor Pereira
Star Players: Hulk, Oscar
Last Seasons’ Finish: 2nd
Honours: 1 Chinese League One Title- 2012. 1 Chinese League Two Title- 2007
Predicted Finish- 2nd
Tianjin Quanjian:
Stadium: Haihe Educational Football Stadium, Capacity of 30,000
Manager: Paulo Sousa
Star Players: Anthony Modeste, Axel Witsel, Alexandre Pato
Last Seasons’ Finish: 3rd
Honours: 1 Chinese League One Title- 2016
Predicted Finish: 4th-6th
Tianjin Teda:
Stadium: Tianjin Olympic Centre Stadium, Capacity of 54,696. Temporarily at Tianjin Tuanbo Football Stadium which holds 22,320.
Manager: Uli Stielike
Star Players: Felix Bastians, John Obi Mikel
Last Seasons’ Finish: 13th
Honours: 3 Chinese Super Leagues- 1960, 1980, 1983(Shared). 1 Chinese League One Title- 1998. 2 Chinese FA Cups- 1960, 2011.
Predicted Finish: 11th-16th
Right so now that’s done, there is only one more thing we can do…Wait until next week for the first round of fixtures in the new season which includes a cracker of a game in the Guangzhou derby. How do you see the CSL playing out this year, any shocks?
All I know is there’s sure to be drama so make sure you tune in.