Vidmar, who took over at the South Australian side last month when John Kosmina departed after the team's heavy defeat in the A-League grand final, faces a daunting first game in charge.

Adelaide's opponents, Shandong, claimed the Chinese league and cup double last season.

The 2005/06 A-League premiership winners are still licking their wounds after a 6-0 hammering by Melbourne Victory in the grand final and enter Wednesday's game at Hindmarsh Stadium with a depleted line-up.

Midfielders Jason Spagnuolo, Ross Aloisi, Dutchman Bobby Petta and Brazilian Diego Walsh are all out injured.

But while Vidmar has plenty of respect for his Chinese opponents, who claimed the China Super League last year by a massive 17-point margin, the 40-year-old believes that his side will pick up all three points from their opening Group E game.

"I'm really confident because of what we've worked on, they seem comfortable with it, they know their roles," said Vidmar of his charges.

"That's what I've put into the players' heads, we need to win, it's as simple as that.

"There's been a lot of talk about Shandong and how great they are, but there are another 11 players out there and I've got full confidence that the players can do a job.

"I expect us to win as we're playing at home."

The Adelaide coach intends to go on the offensive against the Chinese side.

He added: "They're coming to Hindmarsh and it is a long flight - they'll have a little bit of time to adjust - but that's the plan, to put them under pressure and if we can get an early goal then hopefully that puts us in good stead."

Shandong arrived in Australia on Monday morning after handing Liaoning a 5-2 hammering in their domestic match on Saturday.

Despite a good start to the season, Serbian coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic sounded a note of caution for the team's first match in the AFC Champions League since a 7-2 defeat at the hands of Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia in the 2005 quarter-finals.

"We know that no AFC Champions League games are easy, although we have prepared well for this game," said the former Partizan Belgrade boss.

"We respect our rivals because we can't afford any slips-up by underestimating them. I hope we open our campaign with a victory."