Chapter One: A New Dawn in Shanghai

Date of Appointment: 3 July 2025

Club Status: Mid-Season Takeover

Predicted Finish: 2nd

Current Position: 7th

Points: 25 (7 wins, 4 draws, 5 losses)

Objective: Finish in the top two to qualify for the Asian Confederation Cup (3rd may also qualify if the FA Cup winner is in the top two)

🧾 Pre-Martins Summary

Shanghai Shenhua entered the 2025 campaign tipped to be title contenders, with a predicted finish of 2nd and a squad packed with experience. But halfway through the season, the team finds itself floundering in 7th place, having struggled to find consistency or cohesion under previous manager Leonid Slutskiy. What began as a title push slowly turned into damage control.

Off the pitch, tensions boiled over. Slutskiy clashed with two of the club’s best foreign players — Ibrahim Amadou and André Luís — ultimately refusing to register them for league action. With the Chinese Super League only allowing six foreign players per squad, this decision effectively sidelined both for the entire season. The result? A weakened squad with one hand tied behind its back, relying heavily on aging domestic stars and lacking firepower in attack and steel in midfield.

This internal discord, combined with mounting pressure from the board and supporters, led to Slutskiy’s departure on 3 July 2025. Into the chaos steps Obafemi Martins, tasked with reviving a season gone stale — and doing it without two of the club’s most influential assets.

📊 Player Performance Highlights

Despite the turbulence, a few bright spots have emerged from the first half of the season. Club captain Wu Xi, now 36, continues to pull strings in midfield with 2 goals and 5 assists, maintaining a solid average rating of 7.04. On the flanks, Yu Hanchao has been quietly excellent, contributing 4 goals and an assist from limited minutes while posting the team’s best average rating at 7.16 — a testament to his enduring class even at 38. Similarly, Xie Pengfei has offered valuable attacking returns with 4 goals and 3 assists, operating across the attacking midfield line.

Up front, Saul Mineiro leads the scoring charts with 5 goals but has struggled to impose himself more broadly, reflected in a modest 6.71 average rating. Midfielders like John Carlos Teixeira and Jiang Shenglong have been steady if unspectacular, while utility man Nico Yennaris has featured regularly without strongly influencing games.

One key issue lies in goal. Both keepers — Bao Yaxiong (6.59 rating) and Xue Qinghao (6.47) — have underperformed, though this is a league-wide challenge. A Chinese Super League rule mandates that only Chinese goalkeepers can play in domestic matches, limiting options and making genuine upgrades difficult.

🧠 The Martins Challenge

Now at the helm, Obafemi Martins faces a tactical and psychological overhaul. His mandate is clear: ignite a turnaround, close the gap on the top two, and secure continental football — all with a disrupted squad and no immediate access to two of its most valuable players. His playing philosophy — built on pace, verticality, and attacking intensity — is a bold contrast to the disjointed structure left behind by his predecessor.

There’s still time. With 10+ league matches remaining, a strong second-half push could yet deliver success. But Martins’ room for error is small. Every point, every press, every finish — it all matters now.

Editado Julio 27Jul 27 por Quincy Owusu-Abeyie

July 2025 Monthly Review

Obafemi Martins’ arrival at Shanghai Shenhua has sparked a wave of change both on and off the pitch. In his first month in charge, the former Nigerian international has wasted no time in laying the foundations for a new era — tactically assertive, physically demanding, and mentally resilient.

🧠 Tactical Identity Emerges

Martins has stamped his authority with a clear tactical philosophy. Operating in a fluid 4-2-3-1 that morphs into a 2-3-5 in possession, the blueprint favours control, overloads in attacking zones, and proactive pressing. Key positional roles include an Inverted Wing-Back on the right, a Deep-Lying Playmaker in midfield, and an Advanced Forward leading the line. It’s a system designed to dominate both the ball and space.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Backroom Overhaul Begins

The off-field setup also saw a shake-up with the appointment of Roberto Rios as assistant manager. The experienced Spaniard, who previously served at Real Betis, Las Palmas and Wuhan Three Towns, is expected to be instrumental in implementing Martins’ methods.

📉 Squad Dynamics

Not all is smooth sailing — João Teixeira and Jiang Shenglong have indicated they’ll explore their options when their contracts expire (end of 2025 and 2026 respectively).

⚽ Match-by-Match Recap

• 19 July | FA Cup 3rd Round
  Chongqing Tongliang Loong 3–4 Shanghai Shenhua
  Martins’ debut was far from routine. Against third-tier giant-killers, Shenhua edged a wild contest. Goals from Gao Tianyi (2), Wang Haijian, and Jiang Shenglong eventually secured passage to the next round — where they’ll face Wuhan Three Towns.

• 23 July | CSL
  Shanghai Shenhua 2–0 Meizhou Hakka
  A professional performance at home saw Saulo Mineiro and Luis Asué score in a dominant win against the 12th-placed side. Yu Hanchao, delivering both an assist and constant threat, was standout.

• 26 July | CSL
  Shandong Taishan 1–1 Shanghai Shenhua
  A frustrating draw after leading for over 80 minutes. Yu Hanchao’s early penalty was cancelled out late by a counter-attack, though Shenhua again created more and controlled the tempo.

• 29 July | CSL
  Shanghai Shenhua 1–0 Zhejiang
  In arguably the most tactically complete display of the month, Shenhua shut out 4th-placed Zhejiang. Jiang Shenglong’s late header from a Wu Xi corner clinched a deserved win.

📊 Key Numbers (All Comps):

• Matches: 4

• Wins: 3

• Draws: 1

• Goals Scored: 8

• Goals Conceded: 4

• xG Total: 9.35

• xG Conceded: 2.98

• Avg Ball Share: 52%

🏅 Standout Players:

• Yu Hanchao – 2 assists, 1 goal, 3 strong performances

• Jiang Shenglong – 2 goals from CB, dominant in duels

• Wu Xi – Tactical metronome, 2 assists and high progressive metrics

• Wilson Manafa – Progressive presence from full-back, key in buildup and transition

With three wins, one draw, and a real sense of identity forming, Martins’ reign is off to a promising start, with Shanghai Shenhua now sitting in 5th place. August will bring tougher opposition and the next round of the FA Cup — but if this first month is anything to go by, Shenhua are a team reborn.

Shangai Shenhua was always one ofthe biggest teams in China and its always expected to be in the top (or near it) of the league. Let's see how Martins is able to handle them and if he's capable to take them to Continental competitions next season.

How I understand from your Challenge, you could only play in Spanish League if you play in Levante, am I right? Anyway a couple of seasons in a big club in China wouldn't be bad for our Martin's reputation.

Good luck!