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Mumbai City FC will lock horns with FC Nassaji Mazandaran in the AFC Champions League Group Stage tie before their quest to retain the Indian Super League (ISL) title begins.
The Islanders, having achieved the historic feat of becoming the first Indian club to secure a victory in the competition, are now returning to the grand stage for the second consecutive season. However, this time around, they are set to face a formidable challenge.
First up, they will face the Iranian Cup winners Nassaji Mazandaran, who will also make their first appearance in the competition. Mumbai City FC are the favorites, given their home advantage in Pune, but the test ahead promises to be demanding.
Head coach Des Buckingham, who led the side to unparalleled success in the past two years, addressed the media ahead of the game and revealed that his squad is well-prepared following an extensive pre-season.
"It’s our first game of the season, so this is a game we are very much looking forward to," he said. "We have had a long eight or nine weeks worth of pre-season to get ready for not just this game but the long season in front of us that combines both ISL and the Champions League. I know the players want to play games like these, so they can’t wait to get started as well."
The shift in expectations from last season to the current one is quite noticeable. FC Goa were the only team to participate in the Champions League before the Islanders, managing only three draws in six matches.
Meanwhile, Mumbai City FC secured two victories but fell short of qualifying for the knockout stages. Reflecting on last season, Des Buckingham revealed that their expectations were considerably lower, especially when compared to FC Goa's debut season.
However, in the end, they were left disheartened by their failure to qualify, despite their strong performances.
"When we went last time, the only previous team who played in the Champions League were FC Goa," Buckingham said. "They got three draws and played well to get those results. We know how difficult getting points in this competition can be. So there was a concern with maybe us going there and we wouldn’t be able to replicate what Goa did."
"So to come away from that level of competition, with what was the first team to win a Champions League game, and to not only do that but do that twice and finish second in the group," he continued. "We left disappointed not to qualify, rather than actually what the perception was going in. To change that narrative afterward was very positive and I think it showcased what Indian football can do."
The English tactician also asserted that this year's ambitions have risen, given the wealth of experience they now possess.
"This year is a very different set of circumstances," Buckingham remarked. "We were based in Riyadh last season, but this year we go back to the traditional format of home and away. With that comes the challenges and the differences. I’m looking forward to replicating the type of performances we had last season that put us in a strong position to get those results."
"This is my third season with the club, we have the experience of the Champions League from last season and the football that we played in the last year as well. If we can combine it, we can put ourselves in the strongest position we can," he added further.
"We are still waiting for El Khayati" – Des Buckingham on Mumbai City FC’s new signing
Ahead of the AFC Champions League tie, Mumbai City FC improved their squad depth by signing former Chennaiyin FC playmaker Nasser El Khayati. Given that six foreigners can be on the pitch for the Champions League games, the club opted to bolster their overseas players, given the quality of the competition.
Nonetheless, Des Buckingham disclosed that El Khayati has not yet arrived in India. He also added that Alberto Noguera would be unavailable for the game due to an injury.
"Alberto (Nogeura) has gone back to Spain," Buckingham said. "He is recovering with friends and family which is better than being in Mumbai. We are still waiting for El Khayati for his VISA and him to arrive, and I’m not sure when that will be. Otherwise, everybody trained yesterday."
"We train again today, and we will make the decisions on what we feel will be the best team to go out and compete. Secondly, to make sure to manage the game to come out of it with a positive result," he added.
Turning the attention to tomorrow's opponents, Des Buckingham gave away minimal information in terms of what the supporters can anticipate. The Englishman further emphasized that his primary concern lies in his team's preparation and performance.
"We have their games and have been able to look at them. A new coach for them, a lot of new players," he continued. "Their season has only started, with four or five games already in their league, so slightly different from us. But we don’t know if they will play the same way or the same team. It’s the same as always it has been whether it’s the ISL or Champions League last time. We prepare our team as well as we can for what we know and control what we can do."
"Our focus is very much on how we want to play and approach the game. There is no guarantee to how they play, so we don’t spend too much time. We need to prepare as well as we can, whilst also not taking the focus away from what we want," Buckingham signed off.
Mumbai City FC are placed in a challenging group alongside Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Hilal SFC and Uzbekistan's Navbahor. Consequently, this game presents a significant opportunity for them to kick off their season on a positive note, especially considering their aspirations to progress to the knockout rounds.
