Two of the world’s highest paid footballers are set to light up Campbelltown Stadium when Shanghai SIPG’s Brazilian duo Oscar and Hulk take on the Western Sydney Wanderers in the Asian Champions League on Wednesday 10 May.
The pair will be among the most talented players to have ever squared off against the Wanderers and will certainly be the most expensive: Shanghai purchased Hulk from Russian side Zenit St Petersburg for a whopping $74 million AUD, while Oscar arrived from English giants Chelsea for an astonishing $97 million AUD.
The Brazilians have already displayed their value in the Asian Champions League, having both found the net in the Match Day 2 victory over the Wanderers in China.
Hulk also scored what will surely be considered as one of the goals of the tournament in Shanghai’s Match Day 1 win against FC Seoul.
Though the pair aren’t the only weapons their manager, former Chelsea and Tottenham boss André Villas-Boas, has it his disposal.
Wanderers fans will be familiar with Shanghai’s third Brazilian, former Guangzhou Evergrande stalwart Elkeson.
The talented attacker has proven himself to be just as dangerous as his more well-known compatriots and bagged a hat-trick in Shanghai’s opening match of the Chinese Super League.
Then there’s Chinese international striker and Shanghai’s record goal scorer Wu Lei.
The 25-year-old has spent his entire career with the club and currently holds the record for being the youngest person to play in a professional Chinese football match, when he made his debut aged just 14.
Throw in four-time Uzbekistan Player of the Year Odil Ahmedov, who bossed the midfield in Match Day 1, and Shanghai have the sort of pedigree that is unrivalled across all of Asia.
Indeed, the Chinese side are one of the favourites to take out the Asian Champions League this year.
As they prepare to travel to Sydney for the first time, it’s another great chance for the Wanderers to test themselves against the continent’s best, as well as a fantastic chance for the Western Sydney community to see some of the world’s top players up close and personal.
