Shanghai Shenhua head coach Leonid Slutsky believes his side is better prepared this time around as they gear up to face Johor Darul Ta’zim in the fourth match of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 League Stage (East Zone), set to take place on 5 November at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.
Speaking at the official pre-match press conference, the 54-year-old Russian tactician highlighted that Shenhua’s preparation and physical condition heading into this match are significantly improved compared to their previous encounter with the Malaysian champions last season.
“I’ve said before that our match against JDT last year came at a very difficult time for us. We played on Saturday and had to compete again on Tuesday,” Slutsky recalled.
“We faced a tough away schedule and even had to play 70 minutes in the Chinese Super League with ten men. Physically, we had no chance because we were exhausted.”
This time, Shenhua benefited from a longer rest period, having last played in the Chinese Super League (CSL) on Friday, giving his players more time to recover and prepare.
Slutsky, who previously managed Hull City in the English Championship, also expressed confidence in the depth and competitiveness of the squad he has brought to Malaysia.
“I think our preparation this time is much better, and we have a more competitive squad,” he stated.
“Of course, JDT are very strong at home — especially here at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium — but I believe tomorrow will be a fair and exciting match for both sides.”
Both Johor Darul Ta’zim and Shanghai Shenhua are targeting their second win in the group stage. The Southern Tigers will look to build on their impressive 2-0 victory over Chengdu Rongcheng in their last outing, while Shenhua aim to keep pace in the fight for knockout stage qualification.
Credit Photo : Jayden Seah/SNE-Photo
