CSL Opening Round Preview: Shenhua vs. Yingbo - New and Former Record Signings Clash in Shanghai

Special Contribution/Gan Hui, Ding Xu On March 7th, Shanghai Shenhua will host Dalian Yingbo at Shanghai Stadium in their first match of the 2026 CSL season. This encounter pits the current winter window record signing Ladon against the former record holder Stanciu, and sees Malele return to face his old club at Shanghai Stadium for the first time since moving to Yingbo.

During the recent winter transfer window, Shenhua addressed issues from the past two seasons by strengthening their forward line, signing two foreign strikers, Ladon and Gay. According to Transfermarkt, Ladon, valued at 3 million euros, became the CSL's winter window record signing with a transfer fee of 2 million euros.

With the arrivals of Ladon and Gay, head coach Slutsky focused on developing a new 4-3-3 system during the winter training in Dubai, publicly stating that Shenhua would primarily use this formation in the new season.

However, an injury to Mineiro during the AFC Champions League Elite match against Buriram United of Thailand has cast doubt on whether Shenhua will use the 4-3-3 or revert to a 4-4-2 for the opener. After Mineiro's injury against Buriram, Slutsky substituted Gao Tianyi and switched to a 4-4-2. In a recent friendly against Shandong Taishan without Mineiro, Slutsky also employed a 4-4-2. Therefore, if Mineiro is unavailable against Dalian Yingbo, Slutsky may likely abandon the 4-3-3 practiced all winter and opt for a 4-4-2.

Judging from the friendly against Shandong Taishan, reverting to a 4-4-2 allowed Ladon and Teixeira to play in more familiar and comfortable positions, leading to smoother performance. In that match, Ladon, Teixeira, and Gay performed well, scoring all 7 goals and showing promising link-up play.

Shenhua's friendly against Shandong Taishan was held on February 27th, marking the final warm-up game of their winter training. Besides Mineiro, defensive midfielder Li Ke was also absent due to injury. It is reported that Li Ke's injury is not severe, and the coaching staff rested him as a precaution. Currently, the most serious injury in the squad is Jiang Shenglong's, who will definitely miss the season opener and is expected to be sidelined for some time.

Shenhua's starting lineup has been very consistent in the recent AFC Champions League Elite matches and the friendly against Shandong Taishan. Based on Slutsky's habits, barring necessary changes due to injuries, he generally avoids making too many adjustments.

Aiming for a winning start to the season, Shenhua's first match will not be easy, as Dalian Yingbo has strengthened significantly with signings like former record signing Stanciu and Acheampong.

This weekend's clash also marks Malele's first return to Shanghai Stadium to face his former club since leaving Shenhua. Last season, Malele missed the away game against Shenhua due to injury.

Dalian Yingbo has upgraded their squad for the new season, finally acquiring a true midfield playmaker in Stanciu in their fifth year.

Compared to last season, Yingbo retained only 18 players, with 12 leaving or not registered for the first team. They reinforced with 8 new signings: 2 foreign and 6 domestic players. The arrivals of Stanciu and Acheampong significantly boost Yingbo's strength, while Li Ang, Luo Jing, Liu Weiguo, Zhang Huachen, Sun Kangbo, and Feng Jin, along with promising youngsters like Jing Kuanjie and Zhang Chengrui, provide coach Li Guoxu with more options.

Among Yingbo's 8 new signings, Stanciu is undoubtedly the most notable. The Romanian has played for four top European clubs and joined from Serie A's Genoa. On March 14, 2022, Stanciu joined Wuhan Three Towns for 4 million euros, becoming that CSL season's record signing. He helped the team win the CSL title and the Chinese FA Super Cup, and was named Romanian Footballer of the Year in 2022.

Yingbo praised Stanciu highly: "Stanciu is a modern, technically skilled midfield organizer with excellent vision. We firmly believe his arrival will greatly enhance the team's overall strength and help Dalian Yingbo achieve success in the new CSL season!"

During winter training, Yingbo played 10 friendlies in Haikou, Dubai, and Shanghai, recording 5 wins and 5 losses. Malele was their top scorer in these friendlies with 4 goals, scoring in the last three consecutive matches. His quick adaptation is beneficial for Yingbo's CSL opener against Shenhua. For the first 9 friendlies, Yingbo used a 4-4-2 formation, switching to a 4-2-3-1 in the final match against Henan. The team will primarily use a four-defender system, with Stanciu as the absolute core.

Regarding the lineup, Huang Zihao and Liu Weiguo will compete for the starting goalkeeper position. Defenders Mamadou, Li Ang, and Lü Chaoyi are firmly established. The left flank will see competition between Wen Jiabao, Cao Haiqing, and Sun Kangbo. The three midfield starters are Liao Jintao, Alimi, and Acheampong. Feng Jin, the latest arrival, is likely to start as right midfielder. Mao Weijie, Luo Jing, and Yang Mingrui can play on both wings. Stanciu and Malele are the key attacking players, with Zhu Pengyu ready to contribute.

Yingbo club has not publicly announced their season target, but it is certain that with 9 teams facing point deductions and their own strengthened squad, Yingbo aims to improve upon their 11th-place finish in 2025. The Dalian municipal government continues its strong support, and fan enthusiasm remains high, making Yingbo's "second CSL season" one to watch.