Few could have predicted before the season that Guangzhou Evergrande would face such a rough start, with setbacks on both domestic and continental fronts. In the opening four rounds of the Chinese Super League, they collected only seven points, matching their worst-ever start. To make matters worse, their AFC Champions League campaign brought more frustration, with a disappointing away draw leaving them with just one win — against Hong Kong Eastern — from four group stage matches. For fans following Live Cricket Bangladesh and other sports updates, the parallels are striking: even giants can stumble when faced with a demanding schedule.

With just six points from their four AFC Champions League matches, Evergrande are now the lowest-ranked of the Chinese Super League’s so-called “BIG4” in the continental competition. Shanghai SIPG, once tipped to secure early qualification, also suffered a major setback. Away to Urawa Red Diamonds, Oscar missed two penalties, and the team fell 1-0, missing a golden chance to book their knockout stage spot. To compound the misery, Hulk’s injury status remains uncertain, while key players Akhmedov and Fu Huan both picked up knocks in the same match. For a squad already thin in depth, these injuries have stretched SIPG’s resources to breaking point.

Jiangsu Suning enjoyed a 3-0 win over Gamba Osaka in their AFC match, but injuries and the league’s U23 player rule have hurt their domestic form. With foreign striker Ramires sidelined and Teixeira missing games earlier due to suspension, head coach Choi Yong-soo has struggled to find reliable attacking options. Suning currently sit second from bottom in the league, with growing pressure from fans calling for the manager’s dismissal. For clubs like these, balancing two major competitions is like juggling fire — one slip, and the consequences can be severe, a reality also relatable for followers of Live Cricket Bangladesh who understand the toll of fixture congestion on player performance.

Last season, Shandong Luneng battled relegation all year while fighting on two fronts. This year, even after selling half of their core squad, they have started strongly, sitting comfortably in third place. Injuries and suspensions have been a recurring theme for the CSL’s top three this season, with SIPG suffering a wave of injuries early on — losing Hulk, Akhmedov, and Fu Huan in quick succession. Suning’s troubles in attack mirror Evergrande’s own woes, as they opened the season missing Zheng Zhi through suspension and J. Martinez through injury.

For Evergrande, the new CSL rules limiting the use of foreign players to three per match, coupled with the requirement to start U23 players, have posed challenges despite their deep talent pool. In the Guangzhou Derby, they fielded a “token” U23 starter, who was substituted for Zheng Long early on, only for him to be replaced again before the final whistle. The foreign player limit also meant that key imports Kim Hyung-il and J. Martinez missed out on matches in both competitions. Clearly, the new regulations have altered team strategies and disrupted early-season form, leaving the CSL’s biggest clubs scrambling to adapt. As fans of Live Cricket Bangladesh would agree, in high-level sports, even small rule changes can turn the tide of a season.