Victory finished second to Gamba Osaka in the group stage of their 2008 Champions League campaign, losing 4-3 to the Japanese giants in an epic group clash at Etihad Stadium and then 2-0 in their encounter in Osaka.

Gamba Osaka then went on to win the 2008 Champions League defeating another A-League club, Adelaide United, in the final.

Melbourne, runners-up in the 2009-10 A-League season, and Gamba Osaka, runner-up in the J-League, have been placed in Group E alongside K-League runners-up Jeju United, who are making their first appearance in the competition, and Chinese Super League runners-up Tianjin Teda.

Sydney FC have been drawn in Group H against Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua, Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings and the eventual winner of  Japan’s Emperors Cup competition.

The 2011 ACL commences on Tuesday 1 March 2010 with Sydney FC kicking-off its campaign when it hosts Suwon Samsung Bluewings on Wednesday 2 March 2010 at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The Sky Blues’ other home fixtures are on Wednesday 6 April against Shanghai Shenhua and Tuesday 3 May against the yet to be determined Japanese side.

The Emperors Cup is Japan’s Cup competition with the winner to be determined on January 1.

Sydney FC will play each of its three opponents in a home and away series and must finish in the top two positions in Group H in order to qualify for the tournament’s lucrative final 16 which commences on May 25.

Should Sydney FC qualify for the final 16 they will face an opponent from Group F which features clubs such as FC Seoul and Japan’s Nagoya Grampus.

It will be the second time Sydney FC has competed in the Asian Champions League following their inaugural appearance in 2007.

The Sky Blues first ever ACL match was against Shanghai Shenhua in the 2007 competition in which Sydney FC won 2-1 away.

Sydney FC’s 2011 Asian Champions League fixtures:

Match Day 1
02/03/2011 – Sydney FC v Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea) – Sydney Football Stadium

Match Day 2
16/03/2011 – Emperors Cup Winner (Japan) v Sydney FC – Venue TBC

Match Day 3
06/04/2011 – Sydney FC v Shanghai Shenhua (China) – Sydney Football Stadium

Match Day 4
19/04/2011 – Shanghai Shenhua v Sydney FC – Honh Kou Stadium, Shanghai

Match Day 5
03/05/2011 – Suwon Samsung Bluewings v Sydney FC, Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon

Match Day 6
10/05/2011 – Sydney FC v Emperors Cup Winner v Sydney FC – Sydney Football Stadium