Guangzhou City's first team gathered on Monday for pre-season training amid uncertainties hanging over the Chinese Super League club's financial situation.
Thirty-five players attended the
Guangzhou City executive chief Huang Yu, who was present at the training site, said the top priority for his club is to survive -- to pass the entry check by the league for the new season.
"Above all, we need to pass the entry check on March 5. We can do it with an injection of 20 million yuan," he said.
Due to the shortage of funds, the club's canteen has been closed, forcing the players to eat at a restaurant near the training ground, a Guangzhou local report said.
"It seems that Guangzhou City can only afford the team to eat there with the money available to them now," the report wrote.
Li Weifeng, the head coach of the team, seemed unperturbed by the club's financial situation.
"I asked my players to do their bit regardless of how the club's structural reform is going on," he said.
"We are facing problems similar to last season's. As we could survive in the face of so many difficulties last season, I think we can do better this season," he added.
The Guangzhou side narrowly escaped relegation last season after finishing 15th in the 18-team table.
The three teams beneath them were demoted to the second-tier league.
