2018 AFC Champions League

The 2018 AFC Champions League was the 37th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 16th under the current AFC Champions League title.

2018 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
16–30 January 2018
Competition proper:
12 February – 10 November 2018
TeamsCompetition proper: 32
Total: 46 (from 20 associations)
Final positions
Champions Kashima Antlers (1st title)
Runners-up Persepolis
Tournament statistics
Matches played126
Goals scored364 (2.89 per match)
Attendance1,876,986 (14,897 per match)
Top scorer(s) Baghdad Bounedjah (13 goals)
Best player(s) Yuma Suzuki
Fair play award Persepolis

Kashima Antlers won the title for the first time, defeating Persepolis in the final, and qualified as the AFC representative at the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.[1]

Urawa Red Diamonds were the title holders, but they were unable to defend their title as they finished seventh in the 2017 J1 League and were eliminated in the fourth round of the 2017 Emperor's Cup, thus did not qualify for the tournament. It made the second season in a row without title holders after Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were disqualified in 2017 as a result of their involvement in a match-fixing scandal in 2016.

Association team allocation

The AFC Competitions Committee proposed a revamp of the AFC club competitions on 25 January 2014,[2] which was ratified by the AFC Executive Committee on 16 April 2014.[3] The 46 AFC member associations (excluding the associate member Northern Mariana Islands) are 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 2017 and 2018 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2016 AFC rankings (Entry Manual Article 2.2):[4]

  • The associations were split into two regions:
  • In each region, there are 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 are eligible to enter the AFC Champions League, as long as they fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria.
  • The top six associations in each region get 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 get three direct slots and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 3rd and 4th each get two direct slots and two play-off slots.
    • The associations ranked 5th each get one direct slot and two play-off slots.
    • The associations ranked 6th each get one direct slot and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 7th to 12th each get one play-off slot.
  • The maximum number of slots for each association is one-third of the total number of eligible teams in the top division.
  • If any association gives up its direct slots, they are redistributed to the highest eligible association, with each association limited to a maximum of three direct slots.
  • If any association gives up its play-off slots, they are annulled and not redistributed to any other association.

For the 2018 AFC Champions League, the associations are allocated slots according to their association ranking published on 30 November 2016,[5] which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings, during the period between 2013 and 2016.[4][6]

Participation for 2018 AFC Champions League
Participating
Not participating
Notes
  1. ^
    Australia (AUS): The top division run by the Football Federation Australia, the A-League, only have nine Australia-based teams in the 2016–17 season, so Australia can only get a maximum of three total slots (Entry Manual 5.4).[4]
  2. ^
    Iraq (IRQ): Iraq did not implement the AFC Champions League club licensing system.[7]
  3. ^
    Kuwait (KUW): Kuwait could not enter due to FIFA's suspension of the Kuwait Football Association at the entry deadline.[8] (Even if its suspension were lifted, Kuwaiti clubs would not enter since Kuwait did not implement club licensing system.[7])
  4. ^
    Lebanon (LIB): Lebanon did not implement the AFC Champions League club licensing system.[7]
  5. ^
    Saudi Arabia (KSA): Saudi Arabia had only two entries as Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad, the 2016–17 Saudi Professional League 3rd place and 4th place, which would have entered the group stage and qualifying play-offs respectively, failed to obtain an AFC licence, and no other teams below them in the league were eligible to replace them, as all other licensed teams from Saudi Arabia finished in the bottom half of the league and did not meet the sporting criteria (Entry Manual 12.6).[4][7]
  6. ^
    Syria (SYR): Syria did not implement the AFC Champions League club licensing system.[7]

Teams

The following 46 teams from 20 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.

Notes
  1. ^
    Indonesia (IDN): Bhayangkara, the 2017 Liga 1 champions, failed to obtain an AFC licence. As a result, Bali United, the league runners-up, entered the qualifying play-offs.[9]
  2. ^
    Iran (IRN): Naft Tehran, the 2016–17 Hazfi Cup winners, failed to obtain an AFC licence. As a result, Tractor, the 2016–17 Persian Gulf Pro League 3rd place, entered the groups stage instead of the qualifying play-offs, while Zob Ahan, the league 4th place, entered the qualifying play-offs.
  3. ^
    Qatar (QAT): El Jaish, the 2016–17 Qatar Stars League 4th place, were merged into Lekhwiya to form Al-Duhail after the 2016–17 season. As a result, Al-Gharafa, the league 5th place, entered the qualifying play-offs.[10]
  4. ^
    Singapore (SIN): Albirex Niigata Singapore, the 2017 S.League champions, is a satellite team of Japanese club Albirex Niigata and thus ineligible to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions. As a result, Tampines Rovers, the league runners-up, entered the qualifying play-offs.
  5. ^
    United Arab Emirates (UAE): Al-Ahli, the 2016–17 UAE Pro-League 3rd place, merged with Al-Shabab and Dubai to form Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai after the 2016–17 season, and were excluded from the AFC Champions League for failing to be in existence for the necessary three year requirement. As a result, Al-Ain, the league 4th place, entered the qualifying play-offs (initially they failed to obtain an AFC licence but later won their appeal).[11][12]
  6. ^
    Vietnam (VIE): Quảng Nam, the 2017 V.League 1 champions, failed to obtain an AFC licence. As a result, FLC Thanh Hóa, the league runners-up, entered the qualifying play-offs.[13]
Location of teams of the 2018 AFC Champions League.
West Region
East Region
(p) Qualifying play-off participants

Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows.[14]

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 No draw 16 January 2018
Preliminary round 2 23 January 2018
Play-off stage Play-off round 30 January 2018
Group stage Matchday 1 6 December 2017
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)		 12–14 February 2018
Matchday 2 19–21 February 2018
Matchday 3 5–7 March 2018
Matchday 4 12–14 March 2018
Matchday 5 2–4 April 2018
Matchday 6 16–18 April 2018
Knockout stage Round of 16 7–9 May 2018 14–16 May 2018
Quarter-finals 23 May 2018 27–29 August 2018 17–19 September 2018
Semi-finals 2–3 October 2018 23–24 October 2018
Final 3 November 2018 10 November 2018

Qualifying play-offs
Main article: 2018 AFC Champions League 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 advanced to the group stage to join the 24 direct entrants. All losers in each round from associations with only play-off slots entered the AFC Cup group stage.[1] The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region was determined by the AFC based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same play-off.[15]

Preliminary round 1
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Bali United 3–1 Tampines Rovers
Shan United 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–4 p)		 Ceres–Negros

Preliminary round 2
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Eastern 2–4 FLC Thanh Hóa
Muangthong United 5–2 Johor Darul Ta'zim
Chiangrai United 2–1 (a.e.t.) Bali United
Brisbane Roar 2–3 Ceres–Negros

Play-off round
Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Ain 2–0 Malkiya
Zob Ahan 3–1 Aizawl
Al-Gharafa 2–1 Pakhtakor
Nasaf Qarshi 5–1 Al-Faisaly
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 5–1 FLC Thanh Hóa
Kashiwa Reysol 3–0 Muangthong United
Shanghai SIPG 1–0 Chiangrai United
Tianjin Quanjian 2–0 Ceres–Negros

Group stage
Main article: 2018 AFC Champions League group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 6 December 2017, 16:30 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[16][15] 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
1 Al-Ahli 6 4 2 0 9 4 +5 14 Round of 16
2 Al-Jazira 6 2 2 2 9 9 0 8[lower-alpha 1]
3 Al-Gharafa 6 2 2 2 12 9 +3 8[lower-alpha 1]
4 Tractor Sazi 6 0 2 4 2 10 −8 2
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head results: Al-Jazira 3–2 Al-Gharafa, Al-Gharafa 2–3 Al-Jazira.

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Al-Duhail 6 6 0 0 13 6 +7 18 Round of 16
2 Zob Ahan 6 2 1 3 6 8 −2 7[lower-alpha 1]
3 Lokomotiv Tashkent 6 2 1 3 13 9 +4 7[lower-alpha 1]
4 Al-Wahda 6 1 0 5 6 15 −9 3
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head results: Zob Ahan 2–0 Lokomotiv Tashkent, Lokomotiv Tashkent 1–1 Zob Ahan.

Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Persepolis 6 4 1 1 8 3 +5 13 Round of 16
2 Al-Sadd 6 4 0 2 11 5 +6 12
3 Nasaf Qarshi 6 3 1 2 4 8 −4 10
4 Al-Wasl 6 0 0 6 3 10 −7 0
Source: AFC

Group D
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Esteghlal 6 3 3 0 9 5 +4 12 Round of 16
2 Al-Ain 6 2 4 0 10 6 +4 10
3 Al-Rayyan 6 1 3 2 7 11 −4 6
4 Al-Hilal 6 0 2 4 3 7 −4 2
Source: AFC

Group E
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 6 5 0 1 22 9 +13 15 Round of 16
2 Tianjin Quanjian 6 4 1 1 15 11 +4 13
3 Kashiwa Reysol 6 1 1 4 6 10 −4 4
4 Kitchee 6 1 0 5 1 14 −13 3
Source: AFC

Group F
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Shanghai SIPG 6 3 2 1 10 6 +4 11 Round of 16
2 Ulsan Hyundai 6 2 3 1 15 11 +4 9
3 Melbourne Victory 6 2 2 2 11 16 −5 8
4 Kawasaki Frontale 6 0 3 3 6 9 −3 3
Source: AFC

Group G
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Guangzhou Evergrande 6 3 3 0 12 6 +6 12 Round of 16
2 Buriram United 6 2 3 1 7 6 +1 9
3 Cerezo Osaka 6 2 2 2 6 8 −2 8
4 Jeju United 6 1 0 5 6 11 −5 3
Source: AFC

Group H
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 6 3 1 2 8 7 +1 10 Round of 16
2 Kashima Antlers 6 2 3 1 8 6 +2 9
3 Sydney FC 6 1 3 2 7 8 −1 6
4 Shanghai Shenhua 6 0 5 1 6 8 −2 5
Source: AFC

Knockout stage
Main article: 2018 AFC Champions League 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 was 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).[1]

Bracket

The bracket was decided after the draw for the quarter-finals, which was held on 23 May 2018, 16:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[17][18][19]

  Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                                             
Kashima Antlers 3 1 4  
Shanghai SIPG 1 2 3  
  Kashima Antlers 2 3 5  
  Tianjin Quanjian 0 0 0  
Tianjin Quanjian (a) 0 2 2
Guangzhou Evergrande 0 2 2  
  Kashima Antlers 3 3 6  
East Region
  Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2 3 5  
Buriram United 3 0 3  
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2 2 4  
  Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 0 3 3 (2)
  Suwon Samsung Bluewings (p) 3 0 3 (4)  
Ulsan Hyundai 1 0 1
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 0 3 3  
  Kashima Antlers 2 0 2
  Persepolis 0 0 0
Zob Ahan 1 1 2  
Esteghlal 0 3 3  
  Esteghlal 1 2 3
  Al-Sadd 3 2 5  
Al-Sadd 2 2 4
Al-Ahli 1 2 3  
  Al-Sadd 0 1 1
West Region
  Persepolis 1 1 2  
Al-Ain 2 1 3  
Al-Duhail 4 4 8  
  Al-Duhail 1 1 2
  Persepolis 0 3 3  
Al-Jazira 3 1 4
Persepolis (a) 2 2 4  

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. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Al-Jazira 4–4 (a) Persepolis 3–2 1–2
Al-Sadd 4–3 Al-Ahli 2–1 2–2
Zob Ahan 2–3 Esteghlal 1–0 1–3
Al-Ain 3–8 Al-Duhail 2–4 1–4
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Tianjin Quanjian 2–2 (a) Guangzhou Evergrande 0–0 2–2
Buriram United 3–4 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–2 0–2
Ulsan Hyundai 1–3 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1–0 0–3
Kashima Antlers 4–3 Shanghai SIPG 3–1 1–2

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals was held on 23 May 2018.[19] In the quarter-finals, the four teams from the West Region played in two ties, and the four teams 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. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Esteghlal 3–5 Al-Sadd 1–3 2–2
Al-Duhail 2–3 Persepolis 1–0 1–3
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Kashima Antlers 5–0 Tianjin Quanjian 2–0 3–0
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–3 (2–4 p) Suwon Samsung Bluewings 0–3 3–0 (a.e.t.)

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. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Al-Sadd 1–2 Persepolis 0–1 1–1
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Kashima Antlers 6–5 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 3–2 3–3

Final
Main article: 2018 AFC Champions League Final

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

Kashima Antlers 2–0 Persepolis
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 35,022
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
Persepolis 0–0 Kashima Antlers
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)

Kashima Antlers won 2–0 on aggregate.

Awards
Award Player Team
Most Valuable Player[20] Yuma Suzuki Kashima Antlers
Top Goalscorer[21] Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd
Fair Play Award — Persepolis

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 Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd 22122211 13
2 Dejan Damjanović Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2111211 9
Youssef El-Arabi Al-Duhail 22212
4 Mame Baba Thiam Esteghlal 1213 7
Ricardo Goulart Guangzhou Evergrande 142
6 Marcus Berg Al-Ain 1122 6
Kim Shin-wook Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3111
Romarinho Al-Jazira 111111
9 Adriano Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 311 5
Ali Alipour Persepolis 2111
Ali Mabkhout Al-Jazira 1121
Mehdi Taremi Al-Gharafa 1211
Morteza Tabrizi Zob Ahan (GS & R16)
Esteghlal (QF)		 1211
Muhannad Assiri Al-Ahli 11111
Serginho Kashima Antlers 11111

Note: Goals scored in the qualifying play-offs are not counted when determining top scorer (Regulations Article 64.4).[1]

Source: AFC[22]

Player of the week awards
Matchday Toyota Player of the Week
Player Team
Group stage
Matchday 1[23] Leroy George Melbourne Victory
Matchday 2[24] Oscar Shanghai SIPG
Matchday 3[25] Ricardo Goulart Guangzhou Evergrande
Matchday 4[26] Ali Khasif Al-Jazira
Matchday 5[27] Mislav Oršić Ulsan Hyundai
Matchday 6[28] Alan Guangzhou Evergrande
Knockout stage
Round of 16 1st leg[29] Edgar Buriram United
Round of 16 2nd leg[30] Mame Baba Thiam Esteghlal
Quarter-finals 1st leg[31] Dejan Damjanović Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Quarter-finals 2nd leg[32] Akram Afif Al-Sadd
Semi-finals 1st leg[33] Alireza Beiranvand Persepolis
Semi-finals 2nd leg[34] Dejan Damjanović Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Final 1st leg[35] Serginho Kashima Antlers
Final 2nd leg[36] Kwoun Sun-tae Kashima Antlers

See also

References
  1. "2018 AFC Champions League Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC.
  2. "Revamp of AFC competitions". AFC. 25 January 2014.
  3. "ExCo approves expanded AFC Asian Cup finals". AFC. 16 April 2014.
  4. "Entry Manual: AFC Club Competitions 2017–2020" (PDF). AFC.
  5. "AFC MA Ranking (as of 30 November 2016)" (PDF). AFC.
  6. "AFC Club Competitions Ranking Mechanics (2016 version)" (PDF). AFC.
  7. "List of Licensed Clubs for AFC Champions League 2018" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  8. "FIFA Congress drives football forward, first female secretary general appointed". FIFA. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  9. "PSSI Tolak Banding Klub Terkait Lisensi AFC" [PSSI reject club appeals related to AFC license] (in Indonesian). Goal.com. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  10. "Lekhwiya, Al Jaish Clubs to Merge into One Club under the Name of Al Duhail Sports Club". www.qna.org.qa. Archived from the original on 2017-04-12. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  11. "Al Ain ruled out of next year's ACL". Gulf News. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  12. "Al Ain cleared to play in AFC Champions League". Gulf News. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  13. "AFC: FLC THANH HÓA THAY QUẢNG NAM ĐÁ AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE". Goal.com. 30 November 2017.
  14. "AFC Competitions Calendar 2018". AFC. 11 January 2018.
  15. "AFC Champions League 2018 draw concluded". AFC. 6 December 2017.
  16. "AFC Champions League 2018 Official Group Stage Draw". YouTube. 6 December 2017.
  17. "Impressive quarter-finalists promise thrills". AFC. 22 May 2018.
  18. "AFC Champions League 2018 Knockout Stage Official Draw". YouTube. 23 May 2018.
  19. "Quarter-final ties confirmed". AFC. 23 May 2018.
  20. "Yuma Suzuki of Kashima named 2018 MVP". AFC. 10 November 2018.
  21. "Al Sadd's Bounedjah bags Top Scorer Award". AFC. 10 November 2018.
  22. "Top Goal Scorers (by Stage) – 2018 AFC Champions League (Group Stage, Round of 16, Knock-out Stage)". the-afc.com. AFC.
  23. "ACL2018 MD1 Toyota Player of the Week: Leroy George". AFC. 15 February 2018.
  24. "ACL2018 MD2 Toyota Player of the Week: Oscar". AFC. 23 February 2018.
  25. "ACL2018 MD3 Toyota Player of the Week: Ricardo Goulart". AFC. 8 March 2018.
  26. "ACL2018 MD4 Toyota Player of the Week: Ali Khaseif". AFC. 16 March 2018.
  27. "ACL2018 MD5 Toyota Player of the Week: Mislav Orsic". AFC. 6 April 2018.
  28. "ACL2018 MD6 Toyota Player of the Week: Alan". AFC. 20 April 2018.
  29. "ACL2018 Round of 16 First Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Edgar". AFC. 11 May 2018.
  30. "Round of 16, Second Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Mame Thiam". AFC. 18 May 2018.
  31. "Quarter-final, First Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Dejan Damjanovic". AFC. 30 August 2018.
  32. "Quarter-final, Second Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Akram Afif". AFC. 20 September 2018.
  33. "Semi-Final, First Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Alireza Beiranvand". AFC. 5 October 2018.
  34. "Semi-finals, Second Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Dejan Damjanovic". AFC. 26 October 2018.
  35. "Final, First Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Serginho". AFC. November 2018.
  36. "Final, 2nd Leg Toyota Player of the Week: Kwoun Sun-tae". AFC. 17 November 2018.
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