【Chinese Super League Opening Round Preview】Yukun vs. Qingdao Hainiu: CSL Veterans, How Will They "Showcase" Possession Football in Their New Teams?

Written by Zuo Rui This is a direct clash with a huge disparity in squad strength on paper, a collision of philosophies with different interpretations of ball possession. Starting from scratch in the new season, Yunnan Yukun sets out with the goal of "reaching the AFC Champions League within three years," while Qingdao Hainiu, beginning with a "-7 point" deficit, is already plunged into a fierce relegation battle.

In addition to the appointment of CSL veteran and new Yukun head coach Jordi Vinyals, last season's promoted team has also brought in 11 new players. These include Brazilian foreign signings Kléber and Caio, national team-level stalwarts like Xu Xin, Deng Hanwen, Shi Ke, and Huang Zichang, as well as young talents such as China League Two Golden Boot winner Fernando and promising star Bunyamin.

Regarding the unexpected start to the season where nine CSL teams faced point deductions, Yukun club has already conducted its analysis: the season's objectives will not change due to opponents' penalties, and the focus remains on self-improvement, "playing each match well and striving for progress every year." In fact, in the marathon of the league campaign, the point deductions have created more "cornered beasts" and "desperate underdogs," also increasing the difficulty for the seven unaffected teams to secure points. Yukun's opening match against Hainiu is a prime example.

On the evening of February 28th, Yunnan Yukun played an internal training match at home for a final pre-season simulation. Previously, during a series of pre-season friendlies in Yuxi, Kunming, and Dubai, Yukun had already begun a "transformative" shift under Jordi's guidance—moving from long-ball tactics to ground-based possession play, with a 4-3-3 formation set to be the consistent framework for both home and away games.

After the match that evening, Jordi told our newspaper that through two months of pre-season training focused on the new tactical approach, the team has made significant progress. "We are on the right track," the confident Spaniard stated. "We will stick to our style of play; our philosophy of attacking football remains unchanged."

He is more focused on identifying the most suitable tactical executors for each position from training. Among the three foreign players who stayed with the team, Burke remains the main central defender, Jonič has gained more attacking space on the right wing, and lone striker Oscar has found his rhythm on the flanks. That evening, new signing Kléber scored six goals alone, with four assists coming from Oscar. The 1.95-meter Brazilian appeared active in positioning, timely in finishing, versatile in shooting, and dominant in aerial duels during set-pieces.

Ultimately, the starting lineup won 8-0 against the reserve side. After the match, Jordi indicated there is still room for improvement. "Beyond attacking, many details need refinement, and we must minimize the opponents' scoring chances as much as possible," he said. "A complete understanding and thorough execution of responsibilities for each position on the field will require more time for everyone."

In the winter transfer market, financially constrained Qingdao Hainiu also made significant moves. This team, seen as the "top favorite for relegation," brought in a total of 17 new players. If Jordi changed 11 starters in Yuxi, then Milan Ristić in Qingdao has almost rebuilt an entire squad.

Hainiu set a CSL record for the number of new signings this season, while also being exceptionally prudent in their investments. Among the 17 new arrivals, 13 joined as free agents, including 16-year-old national youth team forward Kuang Zhaolei. The five foreign signings are Ghanaian winger Yeboah, Swedish forward Strandberg, Serbian defender Anđelković, and two Moroccan midfielders, En-Neyah and Mesaudí.

The total market value of these five foreign players is €3.95 million, which ranks last in the CSL and is far less than Yukun's €6.3 million, yet it is significantly higher than the combined value of Hainiu's five foreign players last season. These five are generally physically strong, in their prime years, and their combined combat effectiveness should not be underestimated.

Milan previously coached Meizhou Hakka twice in China, experiencing one promotion to the CSL, two relegation battles, and one relegation during his tenure. After leaving mid-season last year due to poor results, he has now gained the trust of another relegation-threatened team this season. However, this time, Milan's burden is heavier, as Hainiu must start with a 7-point deduction. Milan, skilled at integrating limited resources, boosting team cohesion, and focusing on possession and counter-attacks, is a pragmatic choice for Hainiu, whose relegation situation is extremely precarious.

When leading Meizhou to a loss in Yuxi last season, Milan publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the host team's prevalent long-ball attacking style at the time. However, his pursuit of possession football differs from Jordi's. The latter emphasizes layered buildup and pressure through ground attacks, while Milan focuses on opportunities and efficiency in quick counter-attacks. In this regard, the reunion of these two CSL veterans promises at least a tactically intriguing clash.

On March 7th at the Yuxi Plateau Sports Center Stadium, Jordi, eager to secure a winning start at home, will undoubtedly adopt a new "stick-to-our-own-style" approach. Determined to fight with their backs against the wall away from home, Milan might leverage the opportunity presented by Hainiu's extensive squad overhaul to deploy more tactical variations.