Chinese Super League Round 26: Shanghai Shenhua Won but Still Trail Shanghai Port by One Place — Can They Overtake Them This Season?

Since the new management took over at Shenhua, have people noticed that starting from the 2023 season, Shenhua has finished one or several places behind Shanghai Port every season? For example, in the 2024 Chinese Super League season, Port finished first while Shenhua was second, and in the 2025 season Port was still at the top while Shenhua remained runners-up. After Round 26 of the 2026 season, Shenhua won against Chongqing while Port drew with Beijing Guoan, but in terms of standings, Port are in 7th place with 33 points and Shenhua are in 8th place with 31 points, separated by two positions.

Shenhua are currently the second-highest scoring team in the Chinese Super League, having scored 52 goals, 12 more than Port. Shenhua have also won 12 matches, while Port have won only 10. Why are Shenhua still two points behind? The main reason is that Shenhua were deducted 10 points this season, while Port were deducted 5 points. Therefore, the most reliable way for Shenhua to overtake Port on points later would be to win all four remaining matches. Shenhua's remaining fixtures are home against Yunnan Yukun, away against Wuhan Three Towns, away against Shenzhen Xinpengcheng, and home against Qingdao West Coast. None of these opponents can be considered guaranteed wins, especially rivals Shenzhen Xinpengcheng, who have continued to challenge Shenhua since the 2024 season. In addition, Shenhua will only have four foreign players available for the final four matches because Mineiro has already terminated his contract and returned to play in Brazil's second division. Personally, I think Shenhua may not be able to win all four remaining matches. A 50 percent win rate would already be a decent result.

For Shanghai Port, they were once fourth from the bottom this season but have now moved up to seventh place, only seven points behind second-placed Dalian Yingbo. If they win all four remaining matches, Shenhua's results will not matter, as they will not be able to catch them. The article's opinion is that Port's coach, referred to as 'Mu Shuai', becomes better at managing the team as the league enters its final stages. Their final four matches are away against Zhejiang, at home against Chengdu Rongcheng, away against Tianjin, and at home against Liaoning Tieren. If Chengdu Rongcheng secure the title early after Round 26, they may not give their full effort against Port, while Port's strength is considered superior to Zhejiang, Tianjin, and Liaoning Tieren. More importantly, Port have two Asian Champions League foreign players, while Shenhua do not have dedicated Asian Champions League foreign players. This gives Port more options while competing on three fronts. Their five foreign players are currently free of injuries, and after the international break they are expected to be in stronger condition. However, the key focus for Port in the remaining schedule is not their league position, but their FA Cup semifinal against Beijing Guoan. If they win, they can advance to the FA Cup final.