Flores included in Adelaide’s Asian Champions League squad

Argentine recruit Marcos Flores has been included in Adelaide United’s 25-man squad for the upcoming Asian Champions League.

Adelaide United FC has announced its squad for the upcoming AFC Champions League 2010, which kicks off in under a month, the club submitting a list of 25 for its historic third appearance in the prestigious Asian club competition.

Argentinean Marcos Flores has been joined by left sided Brazilian Cassio and English born striker Lloyd Owusu as the Reds’ three foreigners, while young Korean midfielder Inseob Shin is the additional Asian import.

United have also included four players from the club’s Youth squad, naming striker Evan Kostopoulos and defensive duo Perry Mitris and Dane Milovanovic, while Nick Munro takes up the third goalkeeper spot.

Brazilian duo Cristiano and Alemao have been left out of the squad, as clubs can only have three imports in the ACL, but with United submitting 25 players out of a maximum 30, Coach Aurelio Vidmar can make up to five changes to his squad before the February 17 cut off as he aims to repeat the club’s feat of reaching the final in 2008.

“It’s never easy to make decisions like that because the ACL is a big tournament and every player wants to play in it,” Vidmar said after deciding on which foreigner players to take into the competition.

“Unfortunately it’s a decision we have to make and that’s the way we chose to go.”

While the Reds have submitted their initial squad list, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regulations do allow the club to make changes to its player roster up until a week before its first match of the competition, which is on February 24 against reigning title holders, the Pohang Steelers at Hindmarsh Stadium.

The Reds’ opening match at home against Pohang will be followed by a trip to China to face Shandong Luneng before home and away matches against Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

A trip to Korea to tackle the Steelers in the penultimate Match Day will culminate with United back at Hindmarsh Stadium for a clash against Shandong.

The priority period for Adelaide United members to purchase tickets for the club’s home matches in the ACL are available now through Ticketek, with tickets going on sale to the general public on February 1.

ADELAIDE UNITED FC – AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2010 SQUAD
1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk)
2.Robert CORNTHWAITE
4.Iain FYFE
5.Daniel MULLEN
6.CASSIO
7.Lucas PANTELIS
8.Kristian SARKIES
10.Adam HUGHES
11.Lloyd OWUSU
12.Paul REID
13.Travis DODD (c)
14.Scott JAMIESON
15.Francesco MONTEROSSO
16.Inseob SHIN
17.Michael MARRONE
18.Fabian BARBIERO
19.Mathew LECKIE
20.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk)
21.Mark RUDAN
22.Dane MILOVANOVIC
23.Joe COSTA
24.Marcos FLORES
25.Evan KOSTOPOULOS
26.Perry MITRIS
30.Nick MUNRO (gk)

Adelaide United FC – AFC Champions League 2010 Fixtures
Match Day 1
Adelaide United FC v Pohang Steelers
Wednesday, February 24 @ Hindmarsh Stadium

Match Day 2
Shandong Luneng v Adelaide United FC
Wednesday, March 10 @ Shandong Sports Centre Stadium

Match Day 3
Adelaide United FC v Cup Winner
Wednesday, March 24 @ Hindmarsh Stadium

Match Day 4
Cup Winner v Adelaide United FC
Tuesday, March 30 @ Venue TBC

Match Day 5
Pohang Steelers v Adelaide United FC
Tuesday, April 13 @ Pohang Steelyard

Match Day 6
Adelaide United FC v Shandong Luneng
Tuesday, April 27 @ Hindmarsh Stadium