Football: Crisis club once home to Cannavaro quits Chinese Super League

Tianjin Tianhai, then known as Tianjin Quanjian made the AFC Champions League quarter-finals 2018 AFP/Toshifumi KITAMURASHANGHAI: Chinese Super League side Tianjin Tianhai, once home to Brazilian star Alexandre Pato and formerly coached by Fabio Cannavaro, have effectively folded after teetering on the brink for months.

At least a dozen clubs in China's top three tiers of professional football have gone under in the last six months, but Tianjin are the first from the CSL.The team from China's northeast, who were reportedly saddled with heavy debts, are set to be replaced in the top division by Roberto Donadoni's Shenzhen FC.

Tianjin on Monday submitted an application to withdraw from the CSL for the forthcoming season, Beijing News and other state media said.The new CSL campaign was supposed to begin on Feb 22 but was indefinitely postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. The league could now start in late June.Then called Tianjin Quanjian, they qualified for the AFC Champions League in coming third in the CSL in 2017 under Italian World Cup-winning captain Cannavaro.

They had spent heavily in bringing in former AC Milan starlet Pato, Belgian international midfielder Axel Witsel and French striker Anthony Modeste.However, Quanjian Group's founder was arrested in January last year and the club was transferred to the local sports bureau and renamed Tianjin Tianhai.However, the Beijing News said that negotiations with the real-estate investment company broke down.

Tianjin just about survived relegation last season, coming four points above Shenzhen and condemning Donadoni's side to the drop.

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Football: Division among clubs threatens English Premier League's chances of comeback from coronavirus closureLONDON (AFP) - Warring English Premier League clubs will meet on Monday (May 11) with tensions mounting over the divisive 'Project Restart' plan to finish the season amid the coronavirus crisis.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Man City owners acquire Belgian second division club Lommel SKREUTERS: The owners of Premier League champions Manchester City have agreed to buy Belgian second division club Lommel SK, City Football Group ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Football: Scottish chief urges unity after reconstruction rowGLASGOW: Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster has pleaded with clubs to work together to get through the ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Football: Ligue 2 clubs want to keep promotion but suspend relegationWith the French season declared over because of the coronavirus pandemic, Ligue 2 promotion and relegation are at the heart of a debate which is ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Football: Manchester City's parent company adds ninth club with Lommel SK dealLONDON (AFP) - Manchester City's parent company has added a ninth club to its global portfolio with the purchase of Belgian second-tier side Lommel SK.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Coronavirus: Swiss Super League prepares for training return despite restart rowLAUSANNE (AFP) - Swiss top-flight sides are preparing to return to training from Monday (May 11), despite the possible resumption of matches on June 20 being clouded by total uncertainty and debate.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »