Mumbai City FC is one sleep away before it kicks off a landmark 2023-24 season. A second consecutive appearance in the prestigious AFC Champions League is upon us as the Islanders kick off their continental campaign against Iran’s FC Nassaji Mazandaran tomorrow at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune with action kicking off at 7:30 PM IST.
On the cusp of embarking on yet another historic AFC Champions League campaign, Mumbai City FC Head Coach Des Buckingham and goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa attended a pre-match press conference ahead of their first Group D fixture against the Iranian Hazfi Cup Champions.
Head Coach Des Buckingham, spoke about the Islanders’ previous AFC Champions League campaign highlighting the club’s sentiment around it.
He said, “We were slightly disappointed not to qualify for the next round last season and rather than maybe what the perception was going into the ACL last time. So, to change that narrative afterwards was very positive and I think it really showcased what Indian football can do on this stage.”
The Islanders’ No. 1, Phurba Lachenpa, expressed his thoughts ahead of the game with elation. Phurba said, “We are very excited as a unit, and as a player, you always want to play against the best and play in the best of the tournaments in Asia. So, it’s an exciting and good opportunity for us to showcase what we can do as a team.”
