| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 12 March - 12 November 2008 |
| Teams | 29 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | |
| Runners-up | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 98 |
| Goals scored | 275 (2.81 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | (9 goals) |
| Best player | |
← 2007 2009 → | |
The 2008 AFC Champions League was the 27th AFC Champions League, the top-level Asian club football tournament, and the 6th under the current AFC Champions League title. It was the last AFC Champions League before the competition expanded to 32 teams.
Gamba Osaka defeated Adelaide United 5–0 on aggregate in the final to win their first AFC Champions League title. Both clubs qualified for the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup: Gamba Osaka as the AFC representative, and Adelaide United as the host nation's representative, since Japan's spot was reallocated due to Gamba Osaka's qualification as continental champion.
Urawa Red Diamonds were the defending champions, but were eliminated by the eventual winners Gamba Osaka in the semi-finals.
A total of 28 clubs were divided into seven groups of four, based on region i.e. East Asian and Southeast Asian clubs were drawn in groups E to G, while the rest were grouped in groups A to D. Each club played double round-robin (home and away) against the other three group members, a total of six matches each. Clubs received three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The clubs were ranked according to points and tie breakers were in the following order:
The seven group winners along with the defending champion (Urawa Red Diamonds) advanced to the quarter-finals.
An open draw was held for the knockout stage; teams from the same group or the same association could not be drawn against each other. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time and penalty shoot-outs were used to decide the winner if necessary.
| Stage | Round | Draw date | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | Matchday 1 | 12 December 2007 | 12 March 2008 | |
| Matchday 2 | 19 March 2008 | |||
| Matchday 3 | 9 April 2008 | |||
| Matchday 4 | 23 April 2008 | |||
| Matchday 5 | 8 May 2008 | |||
| Matchday 6 | 21 May 2008 | |||
| Knockout stage | Quarter-finals | 24 May 2008 | 17 September 2008 | 24 September 2008 |
| Semi-finals | 8 October 2008 | 22 October 2008 | ||
| Final | 5 November 2008 | 12 November 2008 | ||
Indonesia were initially allocated two entries. However, on 12 December 2007, the AFC redistributed Indonesia's entries to Thailand and Vietnam as the Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament wouldn't be completed in time for the start of the tournament.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 13 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 9 | |
| 3 | | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 7 | |
| 4 | | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 6 |
| Sepahan | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Jésus Gomez Al Agha |
| Al-Ittihad | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Magno Alves | Report |
| Al-Ittihad | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Magno Alves |
| Al-Ittihad | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Hasanov Kapadze |
| Sepahan | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seyed Salehi Aghily | Report | Al-Meshal |
| Bunyodkor | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Kapadze | Report |
| Al-Ittihad | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Mohammed |
| Al-Ittihad | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Laurens Jésus Gomez | Report | Aghily |
| Bunyodkor | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Soliev Djeparov | Report |
| Sepahan | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ali Mohammadi | Report | Gochguliev |
| Al-Ittihad | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Nemri Hazazi | Report |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 12 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 | |
| 3 | | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 7 | |
| 4 | | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 5 |
| Al Wasl | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Alwan |
| Al Kuwait | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab | Report | Zaynadpour |
| Saipa | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Traoré Ansarifard | Report |
| Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Vaziri |
| Al Wasl | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| André Dias | Report | Traoré |
| Al Kuwait | 1–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab | Report | Kadhim Abdul-Mohsen |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 11 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 9 | |
| 3 | | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 6 | |
| 4 | | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 4 |
| Al-Ahli | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Al Thagafi | Report | Al Hamwi |
| Al-Sadd | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Al Hamwi Jenyat |
| Al-Karamah | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Jenyat | Report |
| Al-Wahda | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Al Shehhi | Report |
| Al-Karamah | 0–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 11 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 11 | |
| 3 | | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 8 | |
| 4 | | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 2 |
| Pakhtakor | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Ajab |
| Erbil | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Muslim Mubarak | Report | Araújo |
| Al Qadisiya | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Al Salama | Alwan |
| Al-Gharafa | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Mahmoud Araújo | Report | Aliqulov F. Tadjiyev |
| Al Qadisiya | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab | Report |
| Al-Gharafa | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Al-Mutwa |
| Erbil | 1–5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sabah | Report | Siamand Kuziboyev Marković Geynrikh Kholmatov |
| Al Qadisiya | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab Al Salama | Report | Ahmedov Z. Tadjiyev |
| Al-Gharafa | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Alwan |
| Pakhtakor | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Z. Tadjiyev Ahmedov | Report |
| Erbil | 4–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Salah Alwan | Report | Al Shammari Al-Kandri |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 14 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 12 | |
| 3 | | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 5 | |
| 4 | | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 17 | −13 | 1 |
| Changchun Yatai | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Du Zhenyu Cui Wei | Report | Nguyễn Anh Đức |
| Pohang Steelers | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Cornthwaite Djite |
| Bình Dương | 1–4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Robson | Report | Denilson Kim Jae-sung Choi Hyo-jin |
| Bình Dương | 1–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Philani | Report | Diego Alagich |
| Changchun Yatai | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dah Zadi | Report |
| Adelaide United | 4–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pantelis Dodd Diego | Report | Phạm Minh Đức |
| Pohang Steelers | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Hwang Jae-won Hwang Jin-sung | Report | Wang Dong Du Zhenyu |
| Bình Dương | 0–5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Wang Bo Dah Zadi Yan Feng Caballero |
| Adelaide United | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Diego | Report |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 3 | +25 | 15 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 12 | |
| 3 | | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 7 | |
| 4 | | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 27 | −23 | 1 |
| Krung Thai Bank | 1–9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Kone | Report | Tashiro Iwamasa Nozawa Marquinhos Sasaki |
| Nam Định | 1–3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Lê Văn Duyệt | Report | Yan Xiangchuang Du Wenhui |
| Kashima Antlers | 6–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Motoyama Marquinhos Tashiro Danilo | Report |
| Beijing Guoan | 4–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Du Wenhui Martínez | Report | Thansopa Pichitchotirat |
| Kashima Antlers | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Danilo | Report |
| Krung Thai Bank | 9–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Kone Thansopa Choeichiu Wongsuparuk | Report | Trần Đức Dương |
| Beijing Guoan | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tiago | Report |
| Nam Định | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Hoàng Ngọc Linh | Report | Thansopa Choeichiu |
| Kashima Antlers | 8–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Iwamasa Koroki Tashiro Nozawa Ogasawara Danilo | Report | Pichitchotirat |
| Krung Thai Bank | 5–3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Thansopa Pichitchotirat | Report | Tiago |
| Nam Định | 0–4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Tashiro Koroki Motoyama Danilo |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 14 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 7 | |
| 3 | | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 6 | |
| 4 | | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 5 |
| Melbourne Victory | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Muscat Vargas | Report |
| Gamba Osaka | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Lucas | Report | Sunthornpit |
| Chunnam Dragons | 3–4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Simões Kim Tae-su | Report | Futagawa Bando Yasuda |
| Chonburi | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ney Fabiano Baga | Report | Allsopp |
| Chunnam Dragons | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Simões | Report |
| Melbourne Victory | 3–4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Allsopp Vargas | Report | Futagawa Baré Yamaguchi Lucas |
| Chonburi | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| On-Mo Jinta | Report | Jeong Jun-yeon Kim Myung-woon |
| Gamba Osaka | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yamazaki | Report |
| Chunnam Dragons | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ko Ki-gu | Report | Pondeljak |
| Chonburi | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Yamazaki Lucas |
| Melbourne Victory | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Muscat Thompson Hernández | Report | Ney Fabiano |
| Gamba Osaka | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Futagawa | Report | Yoo Hong-youl |
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||||||
| | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| | 3 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| | 2 | 5 | 7 | ||||||||||||||
The first leg matches were played on 17 September, and the second leg matches were played on 24 September 2008.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Karamah | 1–4 | | 1–2 | 0–2 |
| Al Qadisiya | 3–4 | | 3–2 | 0–2 |
| Saipa | 3–7 | | 2–2 | 1–5 |
| Kashima Antlers | 1–2 | | 1–1 | 0–1 |
The first leg matches were played on 8 October, and the second leg matches were played on 22 October 2008.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamba Osaka | 4–2 | | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Adelaide United | 3–1 | | 3–0 | 0–1 |
| Gamba Osaka | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Lucas Endo Yasuda | Report |
| Adelaide United | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Lucas |
Gamba Osaka won 5–0 on aggregate.
The top scorers from the 2008 AFC Champions League are as follows: