Football
Michael Church, Asia correspondent 7y

Marcello Lippi concerned fatigue could damage China's chances

Marcello Lippi takes his China team into their must-win World Cup qualifying clash with South Korea on Thursday evening hoping the early-season rigours of the Asian Champions League and the country's domestic competition do not have a negative impact on his side's performance.

China sit on the bottom of Group A with just two points from their opening five games and defeat against Uli Stielike's team would all but kill off the chances of Lippi's team of finishing in the top three.

First and second qualify automatically for Russia 2018 while the team in third will go through a series of playoffs and a loss would leave the Chinese -- who are eight points behind the South Koreans going into the game -- adrift with just four games remaining.

"If we want to keep our dream of qualifying for the next year's World Cup alive, we have to win three points tomorrow and my players and I both know that," Lippi said. "As I said before, some of our players have fatigue after competing in both the Asian Champions League and Chinese Super League.

"Our whole medical group are trying their best to help them to recover now. Most of the players will be able to play in tomorrow's game, those who can't play tomorrow will get prepared for the game against Iran."

Seven of Lippi's squad, including captain Zheng Zhi, play for defending Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande while a further five play for Shanghai SIPG and Jiangsu Suning, with all three clubs having already endured a heavy schedule in the continental club championship.

Chinese teams lead their respective groups in the Asian Champions League, but the position of the national side runs contrary to the improvements being made by the country's clubs, which continue to develop as a result of the huge sums invested in top class foreign talent.

Despite the struggles of the national team since China last qualified for the World Cup finals in 2002, Lippi has told his players they have no reason to feel inferior against any other team in Asia.

"Tomorrow's game is the most important and our mentality is crucial," said the Italian. "I have repeated that very often to the players since day one and they have to forget about all the pressure and fear.

"They are defending the honour of 1.4 billion Chinese people. Once they put on the jersey they have to give their best. We are worse than no one in Asia as long as they play at their true level."

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