NEWS
Cerezo Osaka qualifies for group stage and Kashiwa Reysol qualifies for play-off of AFC Champions League 2018
01 January 2018
On New Year’s Day, the final of The 97th Emperor's Cup All Japan Football Championship was held and Cerezo Osaka won the title, beating Yokohama F・Marinos.
Following this result, Cerezo Osaka qualified for the group stage of the AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE2018. The team was supposed to compete from the play-off round of the competition. As a result, Kashiwa Reysol, who finished in fourth place of J1 in 2017, is now qualified for the play-off of the competition.
Requirements for the AFC Champions League 2018
To play from the group stage
1. Winning the title of the national league (Title of the 2017 J1 League)
2. Winning the title of the national cup competition (Title of the 97th Emperor's Cup All Japan Football Championship)
3. Finishing in second place of the national league (Second place of the 2017 J1 League)
To play from play-off
4. Finishing in third place of the national league (Third place of the 2017 J1 League)
Teams play in the AFC Champions League 2018 (Japan)
Teams play in the group stage
Kawasaki Frontale (First team)
Sixth appearance and for the second year in-a-row
Past ACL result
Top 8 (in 2007, 2009, 2017), Top 16 (2014), Group stage (2010)
Cerezo Osaka (Second team)
Third appearance after four years
Past ACL result
Top 8 (2011), Top 16 (2014)
Kashima Antlers (Third team)
Eighth appearance and for the second year in-a-row
Past ACL result
Top 8 (2008), Top 16 (in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017), Group stage (2002/03, 2015)
Team plays from play-off
Kashiwa Reysol (Fourth team)
Fourth appearance after three years (Supposing the team win the play-off)
Past ACL result
Top 4 (2013), Top 8 (2015), Top 16 (2012)
Teams of the group stage of the AFC Champions League 2018
East Region
| Group E | ①Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Korea Rep.), ②Kitchee (Hong Kong) ③East Region play-off winner 4*, ④East Region play-off winner 2* |
|---|---|
| Group F | ①Kawasaki Frontale (Japan), ②Ulsan Hyundai FC (Korea Rep.) ③Melbourne Victory (Australia), ④East Region play-off winner 3* |
| Group G | ①Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao (China PR), ②Cerezo Osaka (Japan) ③Jeju United (Korea Rep.), ④Buriram United (Thailand) |
| Group H | ①Sydney Football Club (Australia), ②Shanghai Greenland Shenhua (China PR) ③Kashima Antlers (Japan), ④East Region play-off winner 1* |
*Teams entering in the East Region play-off round
1：Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea Rep.), Eastern SC (Hong Kong), FLC Thanh Hoa (Vietnam)
2：Kashiwa Reysol (Japan), Muangthong United (Thailand), Johor Darul Ta'zim (Malaysia)
3：Shanghai SIPG (China PR), Chiangrai United (Thailand), Bali United (Indonesia), Tampines Rovers (Singapore)
4：Tianjin Quanjian (China PR), Brisbane Roar (Australia), Kanbawza United (Myanmar), Ceres Negros FC (Philippines)
AFC Champions League 2018
Schedule of play-off and group stage matches (Japanese teams)
*Kick-off time and match venues are not yet announced
Play-off
Tue. 30 January
Kashiwa Reysol vs Muangthong United (Thailand) or Johor Darul Ta'zim (Malaysia)
Group E
| MD | Match day | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD1 | Tue. 13 February | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Korea Rep.) |
East Region play-off winner 2 |
| MD2 | Tue. 20 February | East Region play-off winner 2 | East Region play-off winner 4 |
| MD3 | Tue. 6 March | East Region play-off winner 2 | Kitchee (Hong Kong) |
| MD4 | Wed. 14 March | Kitchee (Hong Kong) | East Region play-off winner 2 |
| MD5 | Wed. 4 April | East Region play-off winner 2 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Korea Rep.) |
| MD6 | Wed. 18 April | East Region play-off winner 4 | East Region play-off winner 2 |
Group F
| MD | Match day | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD1 | Tue. 13 February | Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) | East Region play-off winner 3 |
| MD2 | Tue. 20 February | Ulsan Hyundai FC (Korea Rep.) | Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) |
| MD3 | Wed. 7 March | Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) | Melbourne Victory (Australia) |
| MD4 | Tue. 13 March | Melbourne Victory (Australia) | Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) |
| MD5 | Wed. 4 April | East Region play-off winner 3 | Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) |
| MD6 | Wed. 18 April | Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) | Ulsan Hyundai FC (Korea Rep.) |
Group G
| MD | Match day | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD1 | Wed. 14 February | Jeju United (Korea Rep.) | Cerezo Osaka (Japan) |
| MD2 | Wed. 21 February | Cerezo Osaka (Japan) | Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao (China PR) |
| MD3 | Tue. 6 March | Buriram United (Thailand) | Cerezo Osaka (Japan) |
| MD4 | Wed. 14 March | Cerezo Osaka (Japan) | Buriram United (Thailand) |
| MD5 | Tue. 3 April | Cerezo Osaka (Japan) | Jeju United (Korea Rep.) |
| MD6 | Tue. 17 April | Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao (China PR) | Cerezo Osaka (Japan) |
Group H
| MD | Match day | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD1 | Wed. 14 February | Kashima Antlers (Japan) | Shanghai Greenland Shenhua (China PR) |
| MD2 | Wed. 21 February | East Region play-off winner 1 | Kashima Antlers (Japan) |
| MD3 | Wed. 7 March | Sydney Football Club (Australia) | Kashima Antlers (Japan) |
| MD4 | Tue. 13 March | Kashima Antlers (Japan) | Sydney Football Club (Australia) |
| MD5 | Tue. 3 April | Shanghai Greenland Shenhua (China PR) | Kashima Antlers (Japan) |
| MD6 | Tue. 17 April | Kashima Antlers (Japan) | East Region play-off winner 1 |
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