After storming to a maiden domestic title last season to secure a place in the AFC Champions League for the first time just one year after gaining promotion to the top flight, Guangzhou have held onto their all-star squad for the 2012 continental campaign.

Former Celtic midfielder Zheng Zhi and striker Gao Lin lead a strong contingent of China internationals, with Argentinian midfielder Dario Conca and Brazilian Muriqui headlining an equally impressive line-up of foreign talent.

Guangzhou paid Brazilian side Cruzeiro over 10 million euros for Conca's services midway through the 2011, while also making the midfielder one of the highest paid players in world football.

The investment, though, paid off as the the two-time Brazilian league Player of the Year adapted to life in Chinese football quickly, ending the season with nine goals in 15 games, while Muriqui was the club's top scorer with 16 goals in the league.

K-League champions Jeonbuk have also retained the majority of the squad, which suffered heartbreak in last year's final after the 2006 champions lost on penalties to Qatar's Al Sadd.

Last season's AFC Champions League top-scorer Lee Dong-gook , who scored for Korea Republic's in last week's FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait, and Brazilian duo Eninho and Luiz Henrique have all remained and are at the disposal of new coach Lee Heung-sil.

Veteran striker Lee Dong-gook, who was also named the Most Valuable Player in last year's AFC Champions League after scoring nine goals, was also honored with the K-League's MVP award after finishing as second highest scorer in the league with 16 goals and with the most number of assists.

He was joined in the K-League's Best XI by defenders Park Won-jae, Cho Sung-hwan and Choi Chul-soon, while Brazilian attacking midfielder Eninho - who was second-highest scorer in the AFC Champions League last year with seven goals - was also honored.

Lee Heung-sil will also have Korea Republic midfielder Kim Jung-woo and Chile international Hugo Droguett available in a formidable squad, which also includes veterans Kim Sang-sik and captain Cho Sung-hwan.

After Choi Kang-hee, who steered Jeonbuk to the AFC Champions League finals in both 2006 and 2011, took over as head coach of the Korea Republic national team at the end of last year, Lee Heung-sil was promoted after joining the Jeonbuk coaching staff in 2005.

With Group H made up of four domestic champions from 2011, Thailand's Buriram United entertain Japan's Kashiwa Reysol in a meeting between two more debutants in the Group Stage of the AFC Champions League.

Elsewhere, 2010 champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, who were unable to defend their title last year, begin their campaign in Group G with a trip to Japan to face Nagoya Grampus, while China's Tianjin Tede entertain Australia's Central Coast Mariners.

Qatar champions Lekhwiya, meanwhile, begin their maiden continental campaign in Group C at home to Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli, while Iran's Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan entertain Al Nasr of the United Arab Emirates.

Lekhwiya, who eased to a maiden domestic title last year just one season after earning promotion from the second division, boast Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra, Ivory Coast striker Bakari Kone and promising Korea Republic midfielder Nam Tae-hee in their impressive squad under coach Djamel Belmadi.

Bougherra joined from Scottish side Rangers in August 2010 after playing all three games for Algeria at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while Kone won the Qatar Football Association Player of the Year award last year after emerging as Lekhwiya's top scorer along with Muhammed Razaq.

Finally, play-off winners Al Shabab Al Arabi from the UAE entertain Qatar's Al Gharafa and Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal face Iran's Piroozi Athletic in Group D.

Al Shabab Al Arabi beat Uzbekistan's Neftchi 3-0 last month thanks to a double from Essa Obaid to earn a second appearance in the Group Stage of the AFC Champions League.