"I think it's a shame' - Mumbai City FC gaffer Des Buckingham on India losing AFC Champions League slot from the 2024-25 season

Mumbai City FC scripted the second chapter of their tryst with the AFC Champions League when they defeated Jamshedpur FC in the Hero Club Playoff earlier this month. The Islanders now have a golden opportunity to give another resounding account of themselves in Asia's most elite club competition.

However, the Asian governing body has decided to cut down on the Champions League entry spots from 40 to 24 teams from the 2024-25 season. Mumbai, hence, are slated to be the last Indian team to participate in the Champions League for at least the foreseeable future.

During a press conference on Sunday, MCFC head coach Des Buckingham expressed disappointment at the Asian Football Confederation's decision that could deny India a direct entry into the competition.

"Yes, I think it's a shame because when you look at the football development in the country, the ISL has come a long way. The opportunity to play in the AFC Champions League gives you a pathway to see how good you can be at that stage," the English tactician explained.

"When I look at the two Indian teams that have played in the Champions League, FC Goa performed very well in the first year itself and came away with three draws without anyone knowing what that level of competition is for an Indian side," he continued.

"We went last year and I like to believe by winning the two matches and getting a draw we were able to showcase what we're capable of. It's a shame that the opportunity won't be there in the foreseeable future," Buckingham added.

However, Buckingham didn't want to dwell on the future for too long and wanted to focus on the opportunity at hand.

Mumbai City FC will be the first club to represent India twice in the AFC Champions League. They finished second in the group stage last year and narrowly missed out on qualification.

But the Islanders were able to build on their performances in the initial phase of the season and put themselves in the ACL qualification spot yet again.

Asked by Sportskeeda about the consistency that the club has shown, Buckingham responded:

"To go and do what we did last year, two wins and a draw and finish second in the group, it's something we'll try and do the same again. But that level of competition is extremely high and it's a fantastic challenge. It's not one to be afraid of. If we can take this squad into the AFC Champions League next season, I'm very interested to see what we can do."

"The consistency part of it? As I have said before, we don't want to build a club where we are successful for one season and then go through two or three seasons where we are not. We are trying to build the club in a way that allows us to compete year after year rather than taking each season at a time. This was part of the reason for signing and staying for another two years as I am excited about what's to come," he adde

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Can assure you we're not taking this tournament lightly: Buckingham on criticisms surrounding Mumbai City FC picking an All-Indian squad for the Hero Super Cup

With their explosive performances in the ISL 2022-23 season without an ounce of doubt, Mumbai City FC were one of the favorites to win the Hero Super Cup right away.

However, Des Buckingham surprised quite a few people when they announced an all-Indian squad for the tournament, excluding their elite foreign players.

However, the Super Cup offers very little for Mumbai as they have already secured an AFC Champions League berth and hence the AFC Cup slot on offer is of no use to them.

Asked whether fans could be disappointed by the squad selection, the 38-year-old responded:

"This is the fifth different tournament we've played in twelve months and clubs will approach each of those however they want to. If you think we're taking this tournament lightly, I can assure you that's not the case. We want to be successful and I think we have a squad that can challenge and get out of the group.

"So it's interesting to see how far we can go. I understand that people will form their own opinions, but for us as a club, it's a wonderful opportunity for us to see what our Indian players can do together."

While making it past the group stages without their overseas option might be a mighty task for Mumbai City, they are probably one of the few clubs who could even give fully-stacked sides a run for their money with just their Indian contingents.

Furthermore, this tournament will also give Buckingham an opportunity to monitor the growth of the young Indian players at his disposal.

Mumbai have been drawn in Group D and will start their campaign with a clash against Churchill Brothers on Tuesday, April 11.