Victory were drawn in Group F of the continental competition with Guangzhou Evergrande of China on Thursday at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur but will have to wait and see whether their Korean opposition is Ulsan Horangi or Daegu FC.
There is a strong chance that the fourth member will be a Japanese team. With Victory’s marquee man Honda a legend of Japanese football, a meeting between Melbourne and a J.League side would add to the growing buzz around the signing according to Team Manager Paolo Trimboli.
“I think everyone would love to see a Japanese team,” Trimboli told The World Game.
“That would be great and we will have to wait and see.”
“In a normal training session we are getting lots of supporters coming along and wanting to see him and camping outside the office. It’s been really, really good.
Melbourne know for sure that they will take on two-time continental winner Guangzhou in a re-run of their matches in 2014.
“We are excited,” Trimboli added of Guangzhou who last month had their run of seven successive Chinese Super League titles ended. The two teams crossed swords in 2014.
“We had two two very good games against them last time. We lost 4-2 away and we won at home. They are very tough. We know that the they will be very good.”
“The other two are unknowns at this stage. The Korean FA Cup final is coming soon and that could be Ulsan. We played them last campaign. We found them very difficult and it was a 3-3 draw in the opening game. They did a number on us in the return fixture and beat us 6-2 so we have a score to settle if it is them.”
For Melbourne, the challenge is to beat their best showing of reaching the second round in 2016 before any thoughts of emulating Western Sydney Wanderers and their triumph of 2014 can be entertained.
“It’s a difficult competition and only one Australian club has ever won it and we are under no illsuions. We made the round of 16 two years ago and our first target is to better than and wait and see.”
Elsewhere in the draw, Hyundai A-League champion Sydney FC have a tough group with Chinese and Japanese champions Shanghai SIPG and Kawasaki Frontale.
