Chinese Cup holders Shandong expelled from Asian Champions League

By Michael ChurchHONG KONG, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Chinese FA Cup winners Shandong Luneng have been kicked out of this year´s Asian Champions League after the Asian Football Confederation withdrew the club´s licence for the continental championship due to outstanding overdue payments.Shandong, who beat Jiangsu Suning in the Chinese FA Cup final to qualify, had been drawn to face Port FC from Thailand, Hong Kong´s Kitchee and a playoff winner in Group J.The group phase of the competition is scheduled to begin in April with the opening rounds due to be played in centralised venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic."The…