Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham is looking forward to preparing in the best possible manner for the upcoming challenge of the AFC Champions League, in which they will take part for the first time. The Islanders had finished the Hero ISL 2021-22 season at the fifth position with 31 points from nine wins and thus they could not qualify for the semifinal stages.
Mumbai City FC will now jet off to Abu Dhabi where they will prepare for the AFC Champions League during their two-week training program. Buckingham wants to take the learnings from their ISL season and bring their best against top teams of Asia in the AFC Champions League.
Mumbai City FC is in Group B in the West Region of the 2022 AFC Champions League, the Islanders will take on teams like Al Jazira (UAE), Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia), and Air Force Club (Iraq).
Mumbai City had won their maiden ISL title in the 2020-21 season after winning topping the league standings to also clinch the Winners League Shield trophy. Ergo, they had become the second Indian club to qualify for the AFC Champions League after FC Goa.
The club will train in Al Forsan before they will travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the Group stages of the tourney.
“After a six-month season living in a bubble in the ISL, the players have had a small break in the past few days. We now turn our attention to preparing as well as possible in Abu Dhabi, taking the positives from the league campaign and building on the learnings. We have a very young squad here and the experiences gained, combined with a fresh mindset will help us focus on our next objective for our continental campaign.”
“We now have time to acclimatize to the conditions and prepare the squad for what will be an exciting challenge ahead. The players, coaches, staff – everyone at Mumbai City is determined to prepare in the best way possible for what’s going to be an important experience and historical moment for the club. We’re excited and we look forward to the AFC Champions League,” said Buckingham as quoted by the official website of Hero ISL.
The Group stages of the tournament will begin on April 8.
