Mumbai City FC in Group B of AFC Champions League

ISL Shield holders for the 2020-21 season Mumbai City FC were placed in Group B of the AFC Champions League. The Islanders have been placed alongside Al Jazira Club from the UAE, Al Shabab Football Club from Saudi Arabia and the Air Force Club from Iraq.

The Islanders won the ISL Shield in 2020-21 topping the league table with 40 points from 20 games, winning 12, drawing 4 and losing 4. Under Sergio Lobera, the side played an exciting and dominant brand, scoring a total of 35 goals in the tournament.

Al Jazira Club, who will face the reigning ISL champions, are currently 5th in the Arabian Gulf League. The UAE champions led the table with 57 points from 26 games, winning 17 matches.

Al Shabab, were runners-up of the Saudi Pro-League winning 17 of their 30 matches and scoring 68 times. Iraq's Air Force Club won the Iraqi Premier League with 83 points from 38 games. They won 25 matches, scoring a total of 68 goals.

Mumbai City FC's Asian journey

The debutants are expected to kickstart their 2022 AFC Champions League campaign from April 7 to April 27. The matches will be played in a double round-robin and will feature in a centralized venue.

The Islanders are currently going through a rough patch in their domestic campaign losing three out of their last five matches. They have had two draws in their last five games, against NorthEast United FC and SC East Bengal.

Their match against Kerala Blasters FC has been postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in the bio-secure bubble of various teams. Kerala Blasters FC seemed incapable of fielding a side against the Islanders, who they had beaten earlier in the campaign.