2019 AFC Champions League

2019 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
5–19 February 2019
Competition proper:
4 March – 24 November 2019
TeamsCompetition proper: 32
Total: 51 (from 22 associations)
Final positions
ChampionsSaudi Arabia Al-Hilal (3rd title)
Runners-upJapan Urawa Red Diamonds
Tournament statistics
Matches played126
Goals scored354 (2.81 per match)
Attendance1,796,810 (14,260 per match)
Top scorer(s)France Bafétimbi Gomis
(11 goals)
Best player(s)France Bafétimbi Gomis
Fair play awardJapan Urawa Red Diamonds
2018
2020
(Note: All statistics do not include qualifying play-offs)

The 2019 AFC Champions League was the 38th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 17th under the current AFC Champions League title.

Al-Hilal defeated Urawa Red Diamonds 3–0 on aggregate in the final to earn a record third Champions League title. As winners, they qualified for the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.

Kashima Antlers were the defending champions, but were eliminated by Guangzhou Evergrande in the quarter-finals on away goals.

Association team allocation

The 46 AFC member associations (excluding the associate member Northern Mariana Islands) were ranked, based on their national team's and clubs' performance over the last four years in AFC competitions, with the allocation of slots for the 2019 and 2020 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2017 AFC rankings (Entry Manual Article 2.3):

  • The associations were split into two regions:
  • In each region, there were four groups in the group stage, including a total of 12 direct slots, with the 4 remaining slots filled through play-offs.
  • The top 12 associations in each region as per the AFC rankings were eligible to enter the AFC Champions League, as long as they fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria.
  • The top six associations in each region got at least one direct slot in the group stage, while the remaining associations get only play-off slots (as well as AFC Cup group stage slots):
    • The associations ranked 1st and 2nd each got three direct slots and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 3rd and 4th each got two direct slots and two play-off slots.
    • The associations ranked 5th each got one direct slot and two play-off slots.
    • The associations ranked 6th each got one direct slot and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 7th to 12th each got one play-off slot.
  • The maximum number of slots for each association was one-third of the total number of eligible teams in the top division.
  • If any association gave up its direct slots, they were redistributed to the highest eligible association, with each association limited to a maximum of three direct slots.
  • If any association gave up its play-off slots, they were annulled and not redistributed to any other association.

Association ranking

For the 2019 AFC Champions League, the associations were allocated slots according to their association ranking which was published on 15 December 2017, which took into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings, between 2014 and 2017.

Participation for 2019 AFC Champions League
Participating
Not participating
Notes
  1. ^
    Australia (AUS): The top division run by the Football Federation Australia, the A-League, only had nine Australia-based teams in the 2017–18 season, so Australia could only get a maximum of three total slots (Entry Manual 5.4).
  2. ^
    Bahrain (BHR): Bahrain did not have any teams which had an AFC Champions League license.
  3. ^
    Syria (SYR): Syria did not implement the AFC Champions League club licensing system.

Teams

The following 51 teams from 22 associations entered the competition.

In the following table, the number of appearances and last appearance count only those since the 2002–03 season (including qualifying rounds), when the competition was rebranded as the AFC Champions League. TH means title holders.

Notes
  1. ^
    Malaysia (MAS): Pahang, the 2018 Malaysia FA Cup winners, were suspended from all AFC tournaments for not being permitted to apply for AFC licenses for two years. As a result, Perak, the 2018 Malaysia Super League runners-up, entered the qualifying play-offs.
  2. ^
    Singapore (SIN): Albirex Niigata Singapore, the 2018 Singapore Premier League champions, is a satellite team of Japanese club Albirex Niigata and thus ineligible to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions. As a result, Home United, the league runners-up, entered the qualifying play-offs.
Location of teams of the 2019 AFC Champions League.
West Region
East Region
(p) Qualifying play-off participants

Schedule

The schedule of the competition is as follows.

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 No draw 5 February 2019
Preliminary round 2 12 February 2019
Play-off stage Play-off round 19 February 2019
Group stage Matchday 1 22 November 2018 4–6 March 2019
Matchday 2 11–13 March 2019
Matchday 3 8–10 April 2019
Matchday 4 22–24 April 2019
Matchday 5 6–8 May 2019
Matchday 6 20–22 May 2019
Knockout stage Round of 16 18–19 June 2019 (E), 5–6 August 2019 (W) 25–26 June 2019 (E), 12–13 August 2019 (W)
Quarter-finals 2 July 2019 26–28 August 2019 16–18 September 2019
Semi-finals 1–2 October 2019 22–23 October 2019
Final 9 November 2019 24 November 2019

Qualifying play-offs

In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 9.2). The eight winners of the play-off round (four each from both West Region and East Region) advanced to the group stage to join the 24 direct entrants. All losers in each round from associations with only play-off slot entered the AFC Cup group stage.

The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region, determined based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match, was officially announced by the AFC prior to the group stage draw on 22 November 2018. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same tie.

Preliminary round 1

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Wehdat Jordan 2–3 Kuwait Al-Kuwait
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Ceres–Negros Philippines 1–2 Myanmar Yangon United
Home United Singapore 1–3 Indonesia Persija Jakarta

Preliminary round 2

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Pakhtakor Uzbekistan 2–1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
AGMK Uzbekistan 4–2 Tajikistan Istiklol
Saipa Iran 4–0 India Minerva Punjab
Zob Ahan Iran 1–0 (a.e.t.) Kuwait Al-Kuwait
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Perak Malaysia 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(6–5 p)
Hong Kong Kitchee
Bangkok United Thailand 0–1 Vietnam Hanoi
Chiangrai United Thailand 3–1 Myanmar Yangon United
Newcastle Jets Australia 3–1 (a.e.t.) Indonesia Persija Jakarta

Play-off round

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Nasr United Arab Emirates 1–2 Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia 4–0 Uzbekistan AGMK
Al-Rayyan Qatar 3–1 Iran Saipa
Al-Gharafa Qatar 2–3 Iran Zob Ahan
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Ulsan Hyundai South Korea 5–1 Malaysia Perak
Shandong Luneng China 4–1 Vietnam Hanoi
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japan 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)
Thailand Chiangrai United
Kashima Antlers Japan 4–1 Australia Newcastle Jets

Group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 22 November 2018, 16:30 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four: four groups each in the West Region (Groups A–D) and the East Region (Groups E–H). Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.

In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the round of 16 of the knockout stage.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ZOB NAS ZAW WAS
1 Iran Zob Ahan 6 3 3 0 10 5 +5 12 Advance to knockout stage 0–0 0–0 2–0
2 Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr 6 3 1 2 11 7 +4 10 2–3 4–1 3–1
3 Iraq Al-Zawraa 6 2 2 2 14 9 +5 8 2–2 1–2 5–0
4 United Arab Emirates Al-Wasl 6 1 0 5 4 18 −14 3 1–3 1–0 1–5
Source: AFC

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification WAH ITH LOK RAY
1 United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 6 4 1 1 14 9 +5 13 Advance to knockout stage 4–1 3–1 4–3
2 Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 6 3 2 1 13 9 +4 11 1–1 3–2 5–1
3 Uzbekistan Lokomotiv Tashkent 6 2 1 3 10 11 −1 7 2–0 1–1 3–2
4 Qatar Al-Rayyan 6 1 0 5 9 17 −8 3 1–2 0–2 2–1
Source: AFC

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HIL DUH EST AIN
1 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 6 4 1 1 10 5 +5 13 Advance to knockout stage 3–1 1–0 2–0
2 Qatar Al-Duhail 6 2 3 1 11 8 +3 9 2–2 3–0 2–2
3 Iran Esteghlal 6 2 2 2 6 8 −2 8 2–1 1–1 1–1
4 United Arab Emirates Al-Ain 6 0 2 4 4 10 −6 2 0–1 0–2 1–2
Source: AFC

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SAD AHL PAK PER
1 Qatar Al-Sadd 6 3 1 2 7 8 −1 10 Advance to knockout stage 2–1 2–1 1–0
2 Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 6 3 0 3 7 7 0 9 2–0 2–1 2–1
3 Uzbekistan Pakhtakor 6 2 2 2 7 7 0 8 2–2 1–0 1–0
4 Iran Persepolis 6 2 1 3 6 5 +1 7 2–0 2–0 1–1
Source: AFC

Group E

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SDL KAS GYE JDT
1 China Shandong Luneng 6 3 2 1 10 8 +2 11 Advance to knockout stage 2–2 2–1 2–1
2 Japan Kashima Antlers 6 3 1 2 9 8 +1 10 2–1 0–1 2–1
3 South Korea Gyeongnam FC 6 2 2 2 9 8 +1 8 2–2 2–3 2–0
4 Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 6 1 1 4 4 8 −4 4 0–1 1–0 1–1
Source: AFC

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SAN GZE DAE MVC
1 Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima 6 5 0 1 9 4 +5 15 Advance to knockout stage 1–0 2–0 2–1
2 China Guangzhou Evergrande 6 3 1 2 9 5 +4 10 2–0 1–0 4–0
3 South Korea Daegu FC 6 3 0 3 10 6 +4 9 0–1 3–1 4–0
4 Australia Melbourne Victory 6 0 1 5 4 17 −13 1 1–3 1–1 1–3
Source: AFC

Group G

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification JEO URA BJG BUR
1 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 6 4 1 1 7 3 +4 13 Advance to knockout stage 2–1 3–1 0–0
2 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 6 3 1 2 9 4 +5 10 0–1 3–0 3–0
3 China Beijing FC 6 2 1 3 6 8 −2 7 0–1 0–0 2–0
4 Thailand Buriram United 6 1 1 4 3 10 −7 4 1–0 1–2 1–3
Source: AFC

Group H

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ULS SSI KAW SYD
1 South Korea Ulsan Hyundai 6 3 2 1 5 7 −2 11 Advance to knockout stage 1–0 1–0 1–0
2 China Shanghai SIPG 6 2 3 1 13 8 +5 9 5–0 1–0 2–2
3 Japan Kawasaki Frontale 6 2 2 2 9 6 +3 8 2–2 2–2 1–0
4 Australia Sydney FC 6 0 3 3 5 11 −6 3 0–0 3–3 0–4
Source: AFC

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, the 16 teams played a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split into the two regions until the final. Each tie is played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time (away goals do not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 11.3).

Bracket

The bracket was decided after the draw for the quarter-finals, which was held on 2 July 2019, 16:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                
Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr 1 3 4
United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 1 2 3
Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr 2 1 3
Qatar Al-Sadd 1 3 4
Qatar Al-Duhail 1 1 2
Qatar Al-Sadd 1 3 4
Qatar Al-Sadd 1 4 5
West Region
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 4 2 6
Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 2 4 6
Iran Zob Ahan 1 3 4
Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 0 1 1
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 0 3 3
Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 2 1 3
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 4 0 4
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 1 2 3
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 0 0 0
China Shanghai SIPG (p) 1 1 (5)
South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1 1 (3)
China Shanghai SIPG 2 1 3
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds (a) 2 1 3
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1 3 4
South Korea Ulsan Hyundai 2 0 2
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 2 1 3
East Region
China Guangzhou Evergrande 0 0 0
China Guangzhou Evergrande (p) 2 2 (6)
China Shandong Luneng 1 3 (5)
China Guangzhou Evergrande (a) 0 1 1
Japan Kashima Antlers 0 1 1
Japan Kashima Antlers (a) 1 2 3
Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0 3 3

Round of 16

In the round of 16, the winners of one group played the runners-up of another group from the same region, with the group winners hosting the second leg, and the matchups determined by the group stage draw.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia 4–3 United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 1–1 3–2
Al-Ittihad Saudi Arabia 6–4 Iran Zob Ahan 2–1 4–3
Al-Duhail Qatar 2–4 Qatar Al-Sadd 1–1 1–3
Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia 3–4 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 2–4 1–0
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Kashima Antlers Japan 3–3 (a) Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1–0 2–3
Guangzhou Evergrande China 4–4 (6–5 p) China Shandong Luneng 2–1 2–3 (a.e.t.)
Urawa Red Diamonds Japan 4–2 South Korea Ulsan Hyundai 1–2 3–0
Shanghai SIPG China 2–2 (5–3 p) South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–1 1–1 (a.e.t.)

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals was held on 2 July 2019. In the quarter-finals, the four round of 16 winners from the West Region (whose identity was not known at the time of the draw) played in two ties, and the four round of 16 winners from the East Region played in two ties, with the matchups and order of legs decided by draw, without any seeding or country protection.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia 3–4 Qatar Al-Sadd 2–1 1–3
Al-Ittihad Saudi Arabia 1–3 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 0–0 1–3
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Shanghai SIPG China 3–3 (a) Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 2–2 1–1
Guangzhou Evergrande China 1–1 (a) Japan Kashima Antlers 0–0 1–1

Semi-finals

In the semi-finals, the two quarter-final winners from the West Region played each other, and the two quarter-final winners from the East Region played each other, with the order of legs determined by the quarter-final draw.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Al-Sadd Qatar 5–6 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 1–4 4–2
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Urawa Red Diamonds Japan 3–0 China Guangzhou Evergrande 2–0 1–0

Final

In the final, the two semi-final winners played each other, with the order of legs (first leg hosted by team from the West Region, second leg hosted by team from the East Region) reversed from the previous season's final.

Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia1–0Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 22,549
Referee: Ali Sabah (Iraq)
Urawa Red Diamonds Japan0–2Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Hilal won 3–0 on aggregate.

Awards

Main awards

Award Player Team
Most Valuable Player France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Top Goalscorer France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Fair Play Award Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Best Goal Iran Shojae Khalilzadeh Iran Persepolis

All-Star Squad

Source:

Position Player Team
Goalkeeper Japan Shusaku Nishikawa Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Saudi Arabia Abdullah Al-Mayouf Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Defenders Japan Takahiro Sekine Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Japan Tomoaki Makino Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Saudi Arabia Mohammed Al-Breik Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
South Korea Park Ji-soo China Guangzhou Evergrande
Japan Daisuke Suzuki Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Midfielders Qatar Akram Afif Qatar Al-Sadd
Brazil Léo Silva Japan Kashima Antlers
Brazil Talisca China Guangzhou Evergrande
Brazil Oscar China Shanghai SIPG
South Korea Nam Tae-hee Qatar Al-Duhail
Saudi Arabia Salman Al-Faraj Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Italy Sebastian Giovinco Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Spain Gabi Qatar Al-Sadd
Brazil Paulinho China Guangzhou Evergrande
Forwards Brazil Romarinho Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad
Japan Shinzo Koroki Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Brazil Hulk China Shanghai SIPG
Peru André Carrillo Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Brazil Giuliano de Paula Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr
France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Saudi Arabia Salem Al-Dawsari Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal

Opta Best XI

Source:

Position Player Team
Goalkeeper Japan Shusaku Nishikawa Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Defenders Saudi Arabia Yasser Al-Shahrani Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
South Korea Park Ji-soo China Guangzhou Evergrande
Saudi Arabia Ali Al-Bulaihi Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Japan Daiki Hashioka Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Midfielders Brazil Oscar China Shanghai SIPG
Brazil Giuliano Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr
Brazil Leonardo United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
Forwards Japan Shinzo Koroki Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Syria Omar Al Somah Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli

Fans' Best XI

Source:

Position Player Team
Goalkeeper Saudi Arabia Abdullah Al-Mayouf Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Defenders Saudi Arabia Yasser Al-Shahrani Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Qatar Tarek Salman Qatar Al-Sadd
Saudi Arabia Ali Al-Bulaihi Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
United Arab Emirates Mohammed Barqesh United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
Midfielders Saudi Arabia Salem Al-Dawsari Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Brazil Giuliano Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr
Brazil Leonardo United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
Forwards Italy Sebastian Giovinco Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Syria Omar Al Somah Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli

Top scorers

 Team eliminated / inactive for this round.
 Player was not in the team but team still active for this round.
Rank Player Team MD1 MD2 MD3 MD4 MD5 MD6 2R1 2R2 QF1 QF2 SF1 SF2 F1 F2 Total
1 France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 11
2 Brazil Leonardo United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 2 1 4 1 1 9
3 Japan Shinzo Koroki Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 8
4 Syria Omar Al Somah Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 2 2 1 1 1 7
5 Iraq Alaa Abbas Iraq Al-Zawraa 2 1 1 2 6
Brazil Giuliano Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr 1 1 1 2 1
Brazil Hulk China Shanghai SIPG 1 2 1 2
Italy Graziano Pellè China Shandong Luneng 2 2 1 1
9 Uzbekistan Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov Uzbekistan Lokomotiv Tashkent 1 1 1 2 5
Qatar Akram Afif Qatar Al-Sadd 1 1 1 1 1
Brazil Romarinho Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 1 1 1 2
Brazil Talisca China Guangzhou Evergrande 1 1 2 1

Note: Goals scored in the qualifying play-offs are not counted when determining top scorer (Regulations Article 64.4).

Source: AFC

Player of the week awards

Matchday Toyota Player of the Week
Player Team Ref.
Group stage
Matchday 1 Brazil Cesinha South Korea Daegu FC
Matchday 2 Iraq Alaa Abbas Iraq Al-Zawraa
Matchday 3 Brazil Talisca China Guangzhou Evergrande
Matchday 4 Brazil Leonardo United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
Matchday 5 Brazil Hulk China Shanghai SIPG
Matchday 6 Japan Yasuto Wakizaka Japan Kawasaki Frontale
Knockout stage
Round of 16 1st leg – East Japan Kenyu Sugimoto Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Round of 16 2nd leg – East Japan Shoma Doi Japan Kashima Antlers
Round of 16 1st leg – West France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Round of 16 2nd leg – West Brazil Romarinho Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad
Quarter-finals 1st leg Brazil Giuliano Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr
Quarter-finals 2nd leg Saudi Arabia Salem Al-Dawsari Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Semi-finals 1st leg France Bafétimbi Gomis Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Semi-finals 2nd leg Japan Shusaku Nishikawa Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Final 1st leg Saudi Arabia Mohammed Al-Breik Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Final 2nd leg Saudi Arabia Salem Al-Dawsari Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-27 03:46 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari