Bridge, on loan to the Chinese side from Sydney FC, could make his debut for the club and the club's official website showed him enjoying a joke with teammates in training, but the coach isn't smiling about the way his team is talked up in the press.

Speaking to the AFC website ahead of the clash with Kawasaki, Zuo Shusheng said: "I have always said that the media overrate us and this kind of thing is not good for our performances.

"Kawasaki are much better than us and this is an away game so we have a disadvantage."

Kawasaki Frontale boss Takashi Sekizuka still believes Bridge and company will provide his team with a stern test though.

He said: "Tianjin players have good individual physiques and are strong in important positions. They are a very good attacking team."

Teda are in the same ACL group as Central Coast Mariners.