Kuala Lumpur: Last season’s semi-finalists Al Ain were grouped with Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab and Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor in Thursday’s draw for the AFC Champions League here.
The UAE side, who lost out to eventual runners-up Al Hilal at the last-four stage last time, will also meet a play-off winner in Group B in the 2015 edition.
Elsewhere, Western Sydney Wanderers were handed a difficult start to their title defence when they were drawn against former winners Guangzhou Evergrande.
The Wanderers stunned holders Guangzhou in this year’s quarter-finals on their way to winning the tournament on debut, becoming Australia’s first winners of the competition.
Their Group H showdowns against the Chinese champions, now under former world player of the year Fabio Cannavaro, will be the pick of the preliminary stages starting in late February.
Japan’s Gamba Osaka were pitted against fellow former Asian champions Seongnam FC in Group F, and A-League winners Brisbane Roar will face South Korea’s Suwon Bluewings in Group H.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who won the title in 2006, will play China’s Shandong Luneng and Vietnamese title-holders Binh Duong in Group E.
However, the full make-up of the groups will not become clear until qualifying concludes early next year.
Among the West Asia groups, Al Hilal, who complained bitterly over their loss to the Wanderers in this year’s final, face Iran’s Foolad Khuzestan and Lokomotiv of Uzbekistan in Group C.