AFC Champions League Two Opening Match! Shanghai Shenhua Set to Play with a Depleted Squad

On September 17, Shenhua will play their first match in the AFC Champions League Two. Before the match has even started, many of Shenhua's key players are already confirmed to be unavailable for the game.

Several first-team players cannot play because of injuries. In defense there is Long Ge, and in attack there is Gai Ye, both of whom were ruled out for the season early. In Shanghai Shenhua's home match against Shandong Taishan, Chen Jinyi suffered a partial tear of the right anterior talofibular ligament, so he will also miss this match. Li Ke is still recovering from injury and will not be able to make this game either.

Due to national team selections, Wu Xi, Zhu Chenjie and Yang Haoyu are also unavailable. Wu Xi and Zhu Chenjie were selected as over-age players, leaving Shenhua without their first-choice central defender. Shenhua's center-back pairing will be Yang Shuai and Li Songyi, and whether they can withstand the opponent's attack remains uncertain. In midfield, Wu Xi has reported to the U23 team, making Gao Tianyi's organization in midfield very important (he is highly likely to report to the national team after this match). Shenhua's strongest midfield players are absent, leaving Teixeira to carry the responsibility alone.

Due to a red and yellow card suspension, Laton is unavailable. According to information found online, he received two yellow cards and a red card in the final match of the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Elite season. Under AFC rules, this results in a one-match suspension carried over between seasons.

Another unexpected absence is Mineiro. Mineiro received a red card in the Chinese FA Cup, which would not have prevented him from playing in AFC Champions League Two, but he chose to terminate his contract with Shenhua and sign a six-month deal with his former club, returning to the Brazilian Serie B league. Mineiro's decision has also disrupted Shenhua's plans for the AFC Champions League Two campaign.

The writer believes Milos Milojevic faces a difficult situation in the AFC Champions League Two matches. The team's top attacking finisher is gone, as is the key player who provided assists for Asue. The defensive barrier can only rely on Wang Haijian, and the team lacks attacking weapons on the wings. With only three foreign players available, it remains to be seen whether Shenhua can secure one point. Alternatively, they could give more young players opportunities. Beijing Guoan, for example, has given young players more playing time, while Shenhua has used young players less often this season, making this a good chance for development. The level of the opponent is still unknown, so they will have to play the match and see. Besides this game, Shenhua also has a friendly match against Russian side Zenit at the end of the month. It was originally an opportunity for Slutsky to show his abilities, but he unexpectedly resigned voluntarily.