Qatar coach Bruno Metsu says Bora Milutinovic, who guided China to its only World Cup finals, is now on his side as the two countries prepare to battle at the Asian Cup group stage.

"I think Bora now is on our side," Metsu said on Thursday on the eve of host Qatar's Asian Cup opening match against Uzbekistan.

The Frenchman, who guided Senegal to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals, noted Milutinovic remains popular in China as the 66-year-old Serb went to the same World Cup as China coach.

But Milutinovic, who has coached a record five different nations at the World Cup finals, helped gas-rich Qatar's winning bid to stage the 2022 edition of the premier football event.

He has been seen in the past week at Asian Cup training venues where Qataris and Chinese warmed up. The two sides, in Group A with Uzbekistan and Kuwait, are to clash on Jan 12.

"Bora is a fantastic person, a fantastic coach," the 56-year-old Frenchman said, adding Milutinovic is not on the Chinese side now. "Sorry for the Chinese," he said.

Agence France-Presse