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2017 AFC Champions League

26th edition of premier club football tournament organized by the AFC From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2017 AFC Champions League was the 36th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 15th under the current AFC Champions League title.

DatesQualifying:
24 January – 8 February 2017
Competition proper:
20 February – 25 November 2017
TeamsCompetition proper: 32
Total: 47 (from 19 associations)
ChampionsJapan Urawa Red Diamonds (2nd title)
Runners-upSaudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Quick facts Tournament details, Dates ...
2017 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
24 January – 8 February 2017
Competition proper:
20 February – 25 November 2017
TeamsCompetition proper: 32
Total: 47 (from 19 associations)
Final positions
ChampionsJapan Urawa Red Diamonds (2nd title)
Runners-upSaudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Tournament statistics
Matches played126
Goals scored394 (3.13 per match)
Attendance1,779,826 (14,126 per match)
Top scorer(s)Omar Kharbin
(10 goals)
Best playerYōsuke Kashiwagi
Fair play awardJapan Urawa Red Diamonds
← 2016
2018 →
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Urawa Red Diamonds defeated Al-Hilal in the final to win their second AFC Champions League title, and qualified as the AFC representative at the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.[1]

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were the defending champions, but they were excluded from the 2017 season due to a bribery scandal in the domestic K League Classic.[2] Jeonbuk appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport,[3] but their request for provisional measures was rejected on 3 February.[4]

Association team allocation

The AFC Competitions Committee proposed a revamp of the AFC club competitions on 25 January 2014,[5] which was ratified by the AFC Executive Committee on 16 April 2014.[6] 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):[7]

  • The associations are 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 2017 AFC Champions League, the associations were allocated slots according to their association ranking published on 30 November 2016,[8] 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.[7][9]

The slot allocation was announced on 7 December 2016, with India and Maldives returning to the West Region.[10] The final slot allocation, after unused slots were redistributed, was announced on 12 December 2016.[11][12]

More information Participation for 2017 AFC Champions League ...
Participation for 2017 AFC Champions League[13]
Participating
Not participating
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More information Rank, Member Association ...
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Notes
  1. ^
    Iraq (IRQ): Iraq did not fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria.
  2. ^
    Kuwait (KUW): Kuwait could not enter due to FIFA's suspension of the Kuwait Football Association at the entry deadline.[14]
  3. ^
    Syria (SYR): Syria did not fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria.
  4. ^
    Lebanon (LIB): Lebanon did not fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria.
  5. ^
    Australia (AUS): The top division run by the Football Federation Australia, the A-League, only had nine Australia-based teams in the 2015–16 season, so Australia could only get a maximum of three total slots (Entry Manual 5.4).[7]
  6. ^
    Indonesia (IDN): Indonesia did not submit any entry.

Teams

The following 47 teams from 19 associations entered the competition.[11]

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.

More information Team, Qualifying method ...
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Notes
  1. ^
    Hong Kong (HKG): Eastern, the 2015–16 Hong Kong Premier League champions, initially gave up their place in the AFC Champions League due to financial problems. As a result, the Hong Kong Football Association decided that Kitchee, the 2015–16 Hong Kong season play-off winners, would enter the group stage instead of the qualifying play-offs, while Southern District, the play-off runners-up, would enter the qualifying play-offs.[15] However, the AFC did not allow Kitchee to replace Eastern in the AFC Champions League group stage, and Kitchee would still enter the qualifying play-offs, while Southern District would not be able to participate in the AFC Champions League.[16][17] On 21 November 2016, the Hong Kong Football Association announced they had reversed their decision and would put forward Eastern and Kitchee as their representatives.[18]
  2. ^
    South Korea (KOR): On 18 January 2017, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the 2016 K League Classic runners-up, were excluded from the 2017 AFC Champions League due to a bribery scandal in the domestic K League Classic.[19] As a result, Jeju United, the league 3rd place, entered the group stage instead of the qualifying play-offs to replace them, while Ulsan Hyundai, the league 4th place, entered the qualifying play-offs to replace Jeju United.[2]
  3. ^
    Saudi Arabia (KSA): Al-Ittihad, the 2015–16 Saudi Professional League 3rd place, could not participate in the AFC Champions League due to club licensing requirements problems. As a result, Al-Taawoun, the league 4th place, entered the group stage instead of the qualifying play-offs, while Al-Fateh, the league 5th place, entered the qualifying play-offs.[20]
  4. ^
    Singapore (SIN): Albirex Niigata Singapore, the 2016 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. ^
    Thailand (THA): Due to the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Football Association of Thailand cancelled the remainder of the 2016 Thai football season on 14 October 2016.[21] The standings of the 2016 Thai Premier League at the point of cancellation were declared as final, meaning Muangthong United and Bangkok United finished as the league champions and runners-up respectively.[22] The four semi-finalists of the 2016 Thai FA Cup were declared as co-winners, and a draw was held to decide which team would represent Thailand in the AFC Champions League, and was won by Sukhothai.[23]
Location of the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite league stage teams
Blue: West Region

Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows.[24] Starting from 2017, matches in the West Region were played on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of Tuesdays and Wednesdays.[25]

More information Stage, Round ...
Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 No draw 24 January 2017
Preliminary round 2 25 & 31 January 2017
Play-off stage Play-off round 7–8 February 2017
Group stage Matchday 1 13 December 2016
(Petaling Jaya, Malaysia)[10]
20–22 February 2017
Matchday 2 27 February – 1 March 2017
Matchday 3 13–15 March 2017
Matchday 4 10–12 April 2017
Matchday 5 24–26 April 2017
Matchday 6 8–10 May 2017
Knockout stage Round of 16 22–24 May 2017 29–31 May 2017
Quarter-finals 6 June 2017
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)[26]
21–23 August 2017 11–13 September 2017
Semi-finals 26–27 September 2017 17–18 October 2017
Final 18 November 2017 25 November 2017
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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.[12]

Preliminary round 1

More information Team 1, Score ...
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Global Philippines 2–0 Singapore Tampines Rovers
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Preliminary round 2

More information Team 1, Score ...
Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Wehdat Jordan 2–1 India Bengaluru FC
Nasaf Qarshi Uzbekistan 4–0 Bahrain Al-Hidd
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More information Team 1, Score ...
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Play-off round

More information Team 1, Score ...
Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates 3–0 Jordan Al-Wehdat
Al-Fateh Saudi Arabia 1–0 Uzbekistan Nasaf Qarshi
Esteghlal Iran 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)
Qatar Al-Sadd
El Jaish Qatar 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(1–3 p)
Uzbekistan Bunyodkor
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More information Team 1, Score ...
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Group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 13 December 2016, 16:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the Hilton Petaling Jaya in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.[11][27][28] 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.[12] 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.

More information Tiebreakers ...
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Group A

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AHL EST TAA LOK
1 United Arab Emirates Al-Ahli 6 3 2 1 10 5 +5 11[a] Advance to knockout stage — 2–1 0–0 4–0
2 Iran Esteghlal 6 3 2 1 10 5 +5 11[a] 1–1 — 3–0 2–0
3 Saudi Arabia Al-Taawoun 6 1 2 3 7 12 −5 5[b] 1–3 1–2 — 1–0
4 Uzbekistan Lokomotiv Tashkent 6 1 2 3 7 12 −5 5[b] 2–0 1–1 4–4 —
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Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head results: Al-Ahli 2–1 Esteghlal, Esteghlal 1–1 Al-Ahli.
  2. Head-to-head results: Al-Taawoun 1–0 Lokomotiv Tashkent, Lokomotiv Tashkent 4–4 Al-Taawoun.

Group B

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LEK ESK FAT JAZ
1 Qatar Lekhwiya 6 4 2 0 15 6 +9 14 Advance to knockout stage — 2–1 4–1 3–0
2 Iran Esteghlal Khuzestan 6 2 3 1 6 5 +1 9 1–1 — 1–0 1–1
3 Saudi Arabia Al-Fateh 6 1 3 2 7 9 −2 6 2–2 1–1 — 3–1
4 United Arab Emirates Al-Jazira 6 0 2 4 3 11 −8 2 1–3 0–1 0–0 —
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Source: AFC

Group C

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AIN AHL ZOB BUN
1 United Arab Emirates Al-Ain 6 3 3 0 14 7 +7 12 Advance to knockout stage — 2–2 1–1 3–0
2 Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 6 3 2 1 10 7 +3 11 2–2 — 2–0 2–0
3 Iran Zob Ahan 6 2 1 3 6 9 −3 7 0–3 1–2 — 2–1
4 Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 6 1 0 5 5 12 −7 3 2–3 2–0 0–2 —
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Source: AFC

Group D

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HIL PER RAY WAH
1 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 6 3 3 0 10 7 +3 12 Advance to knockout stage — 0–0 2–1 1–0
2 Iran Persepolis 6 2 3 1 9 8 +1 9 1–1 — 0–0 4–2
3 Qatar Al-Rayyan 6 2 1 3 10 13 −3 7 3–4 3–1 — 2–1
4 United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 6 1 1 4 12 13 −1 4 2–2 2–3 5–1 —
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Source: AFC

Group E

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification KSA MUA ULS BRI
1 Japan Kashima Antlers 6 4 0 2 13 5 +8 12 Advance to knockout stage — 2–1 2–0 3–0
2 Thailand Muangthong United 6 3 2 1 7 3 +4 11 2–1 — 1–0 3–0
3 South Korea Ulsan Hyundai 6 2 1 3 9 9 0 7 0–4 0–0 — 6–0
4 Australia Brisbane Roar 6 1 1 4 4 16 −12 4 2–1 0–0 2–3 —
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Source: AFC

Group F

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification URA SSI SEO WSW
1 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 6 4 0 2 18 7 +11 12[a] Advance to knockout stage — 1–0 5–2 6–1
2 China Shanghai SIPG 6 4 0 2 15 9 +6 12[a] 3–2 — 4–2 5–1
3 South Korea FC Seoul 6 2 0 4 10 15 −5 6[b] 1–0 0–1 — 2–3
4 Australia Western Sydney Wanderers 6 2 0 4 10 22 −12 6[b] 0–4 3–2 2–3 —
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Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head results: Shanghai SIPG 3–2 Urawa Red Diamonds, Urawa Red Diamonds 1–0 Shanghai SIPG (Urawa Red Diamonds won on away goals).
  2. Head-to-head results: FC Seoul 2–3 Western Sydney Wanderers, Western Sydney Wanderers 2–3 FC Seoul (tied on head-to-head results, ranked on total goal difference).

Group G

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification KAW GZE SSB EAS
1 Japan Kawasaki Frontale 6 2 4 0 8 3 +5 10[a] Advance to knockout stage — 0–0 1–1 4–0
2 China Guangzhou Evergrande 6 2 4 0 18 5 +13 10[a] 1–1 — 2–2 7–0
3 South Korea Suwon Samsung Bluewings 6 2 3 1 11 6 +5 9 0–1 2–2 — 5–0
4 Hong Kong Eastern 6 0 1 5 1 24 −23 1 1–1 0–6 0–1 —
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Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head results: Guangzhou Evergrande 1–1 Kawasaki Frontale, Kawasaki Frontale 0–0 Guangzhou Evergrande (Kawasaki Frontale won on away goals).

Group H

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification JIA JEJ ADE GAM
1 China Jiangsu Suning 6 5 0 1 9 3 +6 15 Advance to knockout stage — 1–2 2–1 3–0
2 South Korea Jeju United 6 3 1 2 12 9 +3 10 0–1 — 1–3 2–0
3 Australia Adelaide United 6 1 2 3 10 13 −3 5 0–1 3–3 — 0–3
4 Japan Gamba Osaka 6 1 1 4 7 13 −6 4 0–1 1–4 3–3 —
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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 was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time (away goals would 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 knockout stage, which was held on 6 June 2017, 16:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[12][26][29][30]

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                
Iran Esteghlal 1 1 2
United Arab Emirates Al-Ain 0 6 6
United Arab Emirates Al-Ain 0 0 0
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 0 3 3
Iran Esteghlal Khuzestan 1 1 2
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 2 2 4
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 4 2 6
West Region
Iran Persepolis 0 2 2
Iran Persepolis 0 1 1
Qatar Lekhwiya 0 0 0
Iran Persepolis 2 3 5
Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 2 1 3
Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 1 3 4
United Arab Emirates Al-Ahli 1 1 2
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 1 0 1
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1 1 2
China Shanghai SIPG 2 3 5
China Jiangsu Suning 1 2 3
China Shanghai SIPG (p) 4 1 5 (5)
China Guangzhou Evergrande 0 5 5 (4)
China Guangzhou Evergrande (a) 1 1 2
Japan Kashima Antlers 0 2 2
China Shanghai SIPG 1 0 1
East Region
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1 1 2
Thailand Muangthong United 1 1 2
Japan Kawasaki Frontale 3 4 7
Japan Kawasaki Frontale 3 1 4
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1 4 5
South Korea Jeju United 2 0 2
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds (a.e.t.) 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 matchups determined by the group stage draw, and the group winners hosting the second leg.[12]

More information Team 1, Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score ...
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Esteghlal Iran 2–6 United Arab Emirates Al-Ain 1–0 1–6
Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia 4–2 United Arab Emirates Al-Ahli 1–1 3–1
Esteghlal Khuzestan Iran 2–4 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 1–2 1–2
Persepolis Iran 1–0 Qatar Lekhwiya 0–0 1–0
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More information Team 1, Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score ...
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Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals was held on 6 June 2017. 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.[26][29][30]

More information Team 1, Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score ...
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Al-Ain United Arab Emirates 0–3 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 0–0 0–3
Persepolis Iran 5–3 Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 2–2 3–1
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More information Team 1, Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score ...
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Shanghai SIPG China 5–5 (5–4 p) China Guangzhou Evergrande 4–0 1–5 (a.e.t.)
Kawasaki Frontale Japan 4–5 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 3–1 1–4
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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.[26]

More information Team 1, Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score ...
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Region
Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia 6–2 Iran Persepolis 4–0 2–2
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More information Team 1, Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score ...
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
East Region
Shanghai SIPG China 1–2 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 0–1
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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.[26]

More information Al-Hilal, 1–1 ...
Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia1–1Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Report
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More information Urawa Red Diamonds, 1–0 ...
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Urawa Red Diamonds won 2–1 on aggregate.

Awards

Top scorers

  Team eliminated / inactive for this round.
More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Team MD1 MD2 MD3 MD4 MD5 MD6 2R1 2R2 QF1 QF2 SF1 SF2 F1 F2 Total
1 Ba'athist Syria Omar Kharbin Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 121321 10
2 Brazil Hulk China Shanghai SIPG 111111111 9
Brazil Rafael Silva Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 11121111
4 United Arab Emirates Omar Abdulrahman United Arab Emirates Al-Ain 21112 7
Brazil Alan China Guangzhou Evergrande 11122
Brazil Carlos Eduardo Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 11113
Brazil Ricardo Goulart China Guangzhou Evergrande 1123
Iran Mehdi Taremi Iran Persepolis 2131
9 Japan Yu Kobayashi Japan Kawasaki Frontale 11112 6
Iran Kaveh Rezaei Iran Esteghlal 111111
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Note: Goals scored in the qualifying play-offs are not counted when determining top scorer (Regulations Article 64.4).[1]

Source: AFC[35]

Player of the week awards

More information Matchday, Toyota Player of the Week ...
Matchday Toyota Player of the Week
Player Team
Group stage
Matchday 1[36] Morocco Youssef El-Arabi Qatar Lekhwiya
Matchday 2[37] South Korea Kim In-sung South Korea Ulsan Hyundai
Matchday 3[38] South Korea Yun Il-lok South Korea FC Seoul
Matchday 4[39] South Korea Ko Seung-beom South Korea Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Matchday 5[40] United Arab Emirates Khalid Eisa United Arab Emirates Al-Ain
Matchday 6[41] Uruguay Nicolás Milesi Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Knockout stage
Round of 16 1st leg[42] Thailand Teerasil Dangda Thailand Muangthong United
Round of 16 2nd leg[43] United Arab Emirates Omar Abdulrahman United Arab Emirates Al-Ain
Quarter-finals 1st leg[44] Japan Yu Kobayashi Japan Kawasaki Frontale
Quarter-finals 2nd leg[45] Brazil Carlos Eduardo Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Semi-finals 1st leg[46] Syria Omar Kharbin Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Semi-finals 2nd leg[47] Nigeria Godwin Mensha Iran Persepolis
Final[48] Saudi Arabia Mohammed Al-Breik Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
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See also

References

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