Stunned Jiangsu FC fans are holding out hope that new backers will come to the rescue of the Chinese Super League champion after the club was sensationally shut down by owner Suning this week.
Suning Group, who bought Jiangsu in late 2015 and also owns Italian first-division side Inter Milan, announced on Sunday that the club would cease operations with immediate effect.
"I can't believe it because we just won the league championship. It just came so suddenly," Jiangsu FC fan Lan Zihan told Reuters outside the club's home ground in Nanjing on Monday.