Chinese Super League champion Shandong Luneng has been drawn with defending champion Gamba Osaka, FC Seoul and Sriwijaya in the group stage of the next Asian Champions League.

Gamba Osaka beat Adelaide United of Australia in last year's final.

Shanghai Shenhua faces a tough task after being pooled with Japanese champion and four-time quarterfinalist Kashima Antlers in Group G with Suwon Samsung of South Korea and either PSMS Medan of Indonesia, Armed Forces of Singapore or PEA of Thailand, the final opponent which will be decided in a playoff in February.

The 2009 tournament, which starts in March, will be revamped from previous editions and will be made up of 32 teams from 10 countries separated into eight groups. The new format is weighted toward the major leagues, with Japan, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran each having four teams in the group stage.

"The draw is a fair one and this season's league will be professionally run and the teams will have to be prepared," Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam said in Dubai yesterday. "We hope the fans will show their support for the tournament, by turning up in huge numbers to support their teams."

Rounding out the Japanese clubs, Kawasaki Frontale is in Group H with Central Coast Mariners of Australia, Tianjin Teda of China and Pohang Steelers of South Korea, while Nagoya Grampus Eight is in Group E with Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea, Beijing Guo'an of China and Newcastle Jets of Australia.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily January 8, 2009)