Media Commentator: It Has Been Nearly a Year Since the Last League Title, Who Should Shanghai Shenhua Blame if They Miss Out?

Renowned journalist Ma Dexing published a column in the Oriental Sports Daily titled “Who Should Shanghai Shenhua Blame if They Miss Out on the Title?” The article states, “It must be said that despite the technical and tactical quality of this year’s Chinese Super League being far from what it was in the past, the dramatic outcomes and scenes may be unprecedented in the history of the CSL.”

The article goes on to say that after truly becoming the “leaders,” did various aspects of Shanghai Shenhua become more “relaxed”? Especially after their second victory in the AFC Elite League at home, in a week with two matches, almost no one thought that the game against Shenzhen Xin Pengcheng would be difficult, or even considered the possibility of not securing all three points! After defeating Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Elite League, both players and coaches emphasized their full commitment to preparing for the match against Shenzhen, but no one mentioned that the next game would be a “difficult” one. In the past, if a match was tough, players and coaches would always stress how “difficult” it was.

In reality, Shanghai Port, who lost their league leadership, seems to have lost their motivation as well. In the past, Port could unleash their full firepower against mid-to-lower table teams in the league, often scoring big wins, but they only managed a 1-0 “most economical” win against Cangzhou Lions away. However, after securing the three points, Port probably didn’t expect to regain the top spot. Therefore, the problem likely lies with Shanghai Shenhua themselves.

From Shenhua’s perspective, it has been nearly 30 years since their last league title, and all parties are eagerly awaiting this league championship. However, the value of a league title is higher than that of a cup title precisely because it is a long process, unlike a cup tournament where a single match can decide the outcome, which is highly unpredictable.

What will happen in the remaining final round? No one can predict, and no one dares to guarantee anything. We can only wait patiently.