Vietnamese sides face busy schedule in continental tournaments
VOV.VN - As the country’s representatives in Asian competitions this year, local teams Hanoi FC, Viettel, and Saigon FC will have to deal with a busy schedule when competing in continental matches, following an announcement by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
As V.League 1 champions, Viettel will compete in the group stages of the AFC Champions League, with matches to be played from April 21 to May 5. Featuring four teams per group, Viettel FC will play all of their matches in the same location at a neutral venue.
Furthermore, Hanoi FC and Saigon FC will take part in the AFC Cup. The tournament’s qualifiers will be organised between June 22 and June 28, with three matches played against other teams, with all fixtures set to be held at a concentrated place.
The Vietnamese representatives will therefore compete in a busy schedule, with one match taking place every three days on average, posing a significant challenge for the squads.
In order to give the local teams the best chance of being competitive in the Asian competitions, V.League 1 and National Cup ties won’t be played during this period.
A draw for the group stages of the 2021 version of the AFC Cup and AFC Champions League will get underway in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on January 27. The occasion will be broadcast live through FPT television channel and the AFC’s social media platforms.
