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Brisbane Roar is expecting their A-League clash against the Central Coast Mariners next month to be shifted to accommodate their impending AFC Champions League campaign.
The draw for the Champions League will be conducted on Wednesday night with the Roar needing to win two qualifiers to reach the group stage.
However, they are currently scheduled to face the Mariners in Gosford on Jan. 27 -- just three days before a playoff in China against star-laden Tianjin Quanjian.
"I know what we're going to have to face," coach John Aloisi told reporters on Tuesday.
"It's not going to be easy and I'm sure the FFA will help us with the scheduling, because at the moment it doesn't look like we're going to be able to play the Mariners on that day that they've suggested.
"I'm sure the FFA are working through it, along with the hierarchy of our club."
Brisbane would need to win a preliminary qualifier at home on Jan. 23, against Myanmar's Shan United or a yet-to-be-determined Filipino side, to move through to the next playoff in China.
Tianjin Quanjian finished third in the Chinese Super League this season and boast incredible attacking firepower with former Milan striker Alexandre Pato, Belgian international Axel Witsel and ex-Bundesliga forward Anthony Modeste on the books.
However, the Roar will be confident of springing an upset as they did last year against Shanghai Shenhua, whom they beat to ensure their spot in the Champions League group stage.
"They've got Pato and players like that. I know [Paolo] Cannavaro was there coaching. I know they got promoted from the second division," Aloisi said.
"If we get to play against them I'll do even more research on them and make sure we analyse them well and we're ready for that game.
"At the moment, I'm just making sure we're going to be ready for the Wellington game here on Saturday."
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