FIRED UP POPOVIC EYES GUANGZHOU SCALP

Coach Tony Popovic is fired up for the “huge challenge” that awaits Western Sydney Wanderers later this month as the A-League Grand Final runners-up take on defending continental champions Guangzhou Evergrande in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League.

Western Sydney became only the second A-League side to reach the last eight after edging out J.League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima on away goals in May following a 3-3 draw on aggregate in their Round of 16 tie.

And after following in the footsteps of 2008 finalists Adelaide United, who also reached the quarter-finals in 2012, Western Sydney will entertain Marcello Lippi’s Chinese Super League champions on August 20 at Parramatta Stadium ahead of the return fixture a week later.

“They have got the resources, they have got the players, they have got the coach and they want to be the best and they proved that last year. It will be a huge challenge coming off a pre-season and playing against such a heavyweight,” said Popovic, whose side will not begin the new A-League season until October.

“But on the other hand, that is something you expect when you are amongst the best eight teams in Asia, that you are going to have to play a great side to get through. It is huge challenge, but it is one that we are really looking forward to, I think the club is embracing it and I think our fans will embrace it as well.

“We showed against the Japanese champions that we can handle pressure against a top opponent and this is another one. We expected it to be tough regardless of whom we got and we have got the very best and we want to see how we match up against them.”

Shinji Ono played a starring role in the Round of 16 success, but the former Japan international along with Michael Beauchamp, Youssouf Hersi, Jerome Polenz, Adam D’Apuzzo, Jerrad Tyson, Aaron Mooy, Tahj Minniecon, Dean Heffernan and Josh Barresi all departed Western Sydney at the end of the season.

The arrivals of defender Brendan Hamill, Brazilian playmaker Vitor Saba and goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis have boosted Popovic’s ranks, although Western Sydney will be without Australia centre-back Matthew Spiranovic for at least the quarter-finals due to an ankle injury.

Striker Tomi Juric, though, is set to be fit having quickly recovered from a thigh injury picked up at the start of pre-season training.

“While players missing or having left the club won’t affect me personally within the team it may. But I’m pretty sure the players who’ve come in will do a good job,” said 23-year-old Australia international Juric.

“With a few new players in the side everyone will have to work hard on gelling together – something we need to focus on – and prepare as well as we can to get firstly a good result at home and then to confirm our spot in the next round in the second leg.”

Western Sydney boast an impressive home record in the AFC Champions League this season having beaten Japanese duo Hiroshima and Kawasaki Frontale as well as China’s Guizhou Renhe at Parramatta Stadium.

But unlike in the Round of 16 against Hiroshima, Western Sydney must make the trip to Guangzhou’s Tianhe Sport Center Stadium’s for the second leg on August 27.

“It’s a little difficult because we have the home leg first and then we have to go to China for the final leg. So it’s not going to be in front of our home fans as it was in our last game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima,” added Juric.

“The role of home crowd is massive; they are our 12^th man. We’re going to need their help as  I’m pretty sure that Guangzhou are going to come out firing and, as champions last year, looking to go through to the next round and prove a point to show why they won it last year.

“With the help of the crowd, though, I’m confident we can pull off a positive result which will help us in the second leg in China.”