The knockout stage in the East Zone of the AFC Champions League will get underway in China this evening, with Tianjin Quanjian hosting Guangzhou Evergrande in the first leg of their clash. Fans around the country are describing this affair between two CSL clubs, as one of the most anticipated ties in the round of 16. Damion Jones has this report.

Paulo Sousa has been hard at work putting his stamp onto Tianjin Quanjian, in his first year on the touchline. The team finished second in Group E to reach the AFC Champions League's round of 16, while opponents Guangzhou Evergrande went undefeated atop Pool G.

PAULO SOUSA TIANJIN QUANJIAN COACH "For us, we have less experience, but we want to do well. We have the illusion and the dream, and I think we can really balance this competition until the end. But we have this illusion and the dream to go forward against the best club, the best team (Guangzhou Evergrande) in Asia in this moment, with the experience, with the quality they have, what they can produce. But we have this dream, we have quality as well, we are doing well."

AXEL WITSEL TIANJIN QUANJIAN MIDFIELDER "Like Mr. Sousa said, Guangzhou has more experience, but we have some players who know how to play in the Champions League. Yeah, we have to dream because we already did good in the Champions League, because it was the first time, but of course we have to do everything well tomorrow to win and to pass this stage. Let's not forget, it is not only one game, but two."

Tianjin will welcome back their former coach Fabio Cannavaro after Italy's 2006 World Cup winning captain returned to Guangzhou in the offseason. His two years leading Quanjian included steering the club to its first-ever appearance on the continental stage.

FABIO CANNAVARO COACH OF TIANJIN QUANJIAN IN 2016 & 2017 "I am always glad to return to Tianjin, but I did not expect to meet Quanjian at this early stage. I have to admit that these two matches against Tianjin in the Asian Champions League are going to be very difficult for us."

The two-time Asian champions have uncharacteristically struggled in the Chinese Super League so far this spring, with the latest lowlight being Saturday's 3-0 loss to newcomers Dalian Yifang.

FABIO CANNAVARO GUANGZHOU EVERGRANDE COACH "Quanjian have a very good squad, especially their four foreign players, and anything can happen after these two legs. So I am always telling my players not to think it will be easy because of their position in the Chinese Super League. The Champions League is a different competition, but the good thing for us is that I know the opponents really well. It was I who built and trained this team, and their key players were also brought in by me."

And Cannavaro's familiarity with the squad on the other side of the pitch could prove to be Evergrande's biggest advantage. DJ, CGTN.