On December 28, Beijing time, the draw results for the 1/8 finals of the 2023-24 AFC Champions League were officially announced. As the "only seedling" of the Chinese Super League, Shandong Taishan regrettably drew the next sign and faced the J League veteran giant Kawasaki Frontale.
As the second place in the group, after Taishan entered the round of 16, there were not many opponents to choose from, excluding the Yokohama Mariners who had been in the same group in the group stage, only Bangkok United, Kofu Wind Forest, Kawasaki Frontale, and Pohang Steelers were left. And with the Bangkok United draw, unfortunately becoming the team that was randomly placed in Pot 2 in Pot 1, Taishan has one less opponent to choose from. In the end, Tarzan unfortunately drew Kawasaki Frontale.
Kawasaki Frontale can be said to be the most consistent giant in the J-League, having won the J-League championship four times in the last seven years. Last season, Kawasaki Frontale finished 2nd in the J1 League, but this season their record has slipped to 14 wins, 8 draws and 12 losses, placing them 8th in the league. However, in the final of the Japanese Emperor's Cup on December 9, Kawasaki Frontale won the championship through a penalty shootout and defeated Kashiwa Suns. It can be said that Kawasaki is definitely the most consistent team in Japan.
In addition, Kawasaki Frontale has produced well-known Japanese internationals such as Kaoru Mikasa and Itakura Tsubi, known as "Kawasaki Munich". At present, the team also has Japanese internationals familiar to Chinese fans, such as Yu Kobayashi, Akihiro Parent, Sekoki, and Yamane Shirai. The strength of Kawasaki Frontale's foreign aid is also quite good, the goalkeeper position of the former South Korean national Zheng Chenglong, the forward position is two well-known goalscorers, the former French international Gomis and the former Brazilian international Damian, in addition to Marsinho, who once played for the Chongqing team, on paper, there is no Fellaini and Moises Taishan, is indeed at a disadvantage.