Shanghai Shenhua football stadium hit by fire (VIDEO)
The stadium of Chinese Super League team Shanghai Shenhua was damaged by a fire on Tuesday morning.
Flames ravaged the 33,000-capacity Hongkou Stadium, but the state news agency reported that there were no casualties and the fire did not affect the pitch or the stands, BBC Sport reported.
Shanghai Shenhua will not play a home fixture until a league match scheduled for April 16 against Changchun Yatai.
The club currently sit fourth in the Chinese Super League, behind city rivals Shanghai SIPG and 16 points adrift of leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.
They are one of a group of Chinese clubs to splash cash to attract world class talent in recent months as part of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s initiative to transform the country into a global football brand.
Ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gus Poyet currently manages the club, and former Inter Milan players Obafemi Martins and Fredy Guarin are also on the Shanghai Shenhua books.
The club hit headlines in December when Argentina international Carlos Tevez allegedly became the highest-paid player in world football when he moved from Boca Juniors.
The former Manchester United and Manchester City striker reportedly signed an astonishing $41million-a-year contract that sees him net $80 a minute.
Rumors recently surfaced of a move from a Chinese club for Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney.
