SEASON STORY
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After winning the first silverware in Zheng Zhi's managerial career in the 2024 AFC Champions League campaign, it is now time for the player/manager to fulfil his prophecy and win the CSL title. Will his manager qualities be good enough to keep the squad together with new faces? Changchun's biggest talent Liang Xi has left for Gelsenkirchen to bring back Schalke to the top, which is a set back for Changchun. But Romulo's fellow countryman Bernardo has joined and the reliable Ma Zhen will try to replace the void of Liang Xi's departure.
It is the moment of truth of Zheng Zhi's manager career! Can he still compete and finally win his first CSL title as a manager?


AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE STORY
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🔢 Group Stage:
1 Al Shabab 🇸🇦 - 15 pts
2 Changchun 🇨🇳 - 11 pts
3 Bengaluru 🇮🇳 - 5 pts
4 Gimcheon Sangmu 🇰🇷 - 2 pts

- Quarter Final:
@ Pohang 🇰🇷 0-1 (W)
vs. Pohang 🇰🇷 1-1

- Semi Final:
@ Ulsan 🇰🇷 2-0 (L)
vs. Ulsan 🇰🇷 1-0 (W)


RULES
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#1 Chinese Super League Rules:
⏩ Transfer/Contract Rules:
- I can only have Chinese goalkeepers under contract.
- At least 3 players in my squad need to be under 19 years old (based on 15% youth investment rule).
- Foreign star players cannot earn more than €60k a week (Salary Cap Rule).
- Chinese players cannot earn more than €12.5k a week (Salary Cap Rule).
- I cannot sign a foreigner older than 30 years old.
- I cannot have more than 4 foreigners + 1 Asian (non-Chinese) under contract.
⏩ Matchday Rules:
- I need to start at least 3 players younger than 20 years old.

#2 Each season I am obligated to sell at least 2 starting players to keep refreshing the squad.
⏩ If a loan player that was a starter, gets recalled, I have to sell at least 1 starting player.

#3 I can't spend more than I earn from outgoing transfers.
⏩ There is no AFC Champions League entry money.

#4 Players above a certain OVR have to be sold at the beginning of the season:
⏩ General:
- All 80+ players under 30 years old have to be sold.
- All players with 82+ potential have to be sold after staying at least one season (Youth Academy).
⏩ Not qualified for AFC Champions League:
- All 75+ players have to get sold.

#5 I am not allowed to buy more than 3 starting players per season.
⏩ Unless I sell more than 3, I can bring in the equal amount of starting players that have left the club.

#6 I am not allowed to buy (unless they are born in the Jilin province):
⏩ Until 2026 Changchun cannot buy any 70+ OVR players from other CSL sides, due to the Wu Lei deal.
⏩ Always:
- Starters from any top-5 European league.
- Starters from club that qualified for UEFA or CONMEBOL competitions.
- Starters from Dalian.
⏩ Without reaching AFC CL:
- Any 75+ players.

#7 I am allowed to buy:
⏩ After qualifying for AFC CL:
- Max. one 80+ player.

#8 I am allowed to exercise the option to buy of only one loaned player.
⏩ Loanee arrived in the first transfer window:
- He must have played >50% of the games.
⏩ Loanee arrived in the second transfer window:
- He must have played >25% of the games.


TRANSFERS
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Transfer in:
WINTER
- Ling Jie (LW) bought for €1.100.000 from Guangzhou
- Bernardo (LB) bought for €2.750.000 from Salzburg
- Ma Zhen (GK) bought for €500.000 from Shanghai Shenhua

Transfers out:
WINTER
- Liang Xi (GK) sold for €11.800.000 to Schalke 04
- Zheng Zhiyun (LB) sold for €810.000 to Al Shabab
SUMMER
- Kwon Yoon Jin (CM) sold for €2.800.000 to Düsseldorf


DIFFICULTY
Ultimate / competitive mode ON / difficulty based on player ON


RATINGS ARE UPDATED AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2025