New Delhi, India

After watching Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Neymar tearing up the opposition with his skills over the years, his fans in India will finally get to watch him play live in the country this season. Having switched bases from Paris Saint-Germain to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal this transfer window, Neymar could be seen in action against India's Mumbai City FC, as both teams are drawn in the same group in AFC Champions League 2023/24.

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The top-tier Asian club competition features only one Indian team, which will play its home matches at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. Besides Al Hilal and Mumbai City FC, Navbahor of Uzbekistan and Iran's FC Nassaji Mazandaran are the remaining two teams in Group D.

Meanwhile, alongside Brazilian legend Neymar, some of the top names in the footballing world, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergie Milinkovic-Savic, and Ruben Neves, will be seen in action against the Indian Team. All these players joined AL Hilal earlier this season.

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On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr is placed in Group E, alongside Iran’s Persepolis, Al-Duhail of Qatar and Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol. Al Nassr will begin their AFC Champions League campaign against Iran’s Persepolis next month while defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds will face the Chinese champions Wuhan Three Towns.

All teams are distributed across five groups each in both western and eastern regions, while the preliminary stage of the tournament begins on September 18. The winners of each groups will cruise to the next round, joined by the top three second-place teams from both regions of the draw.

The knockout games of the AFC Champions League will start on February 12, while the championship match will get underway in two legs, on May 11 and 18.

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AFC Champions League Group Stage Draw – 

  • Group A: Pakhtakor (UZB), Al-Fayha (KSA), Ahal FC (TKM), Al-Ain (UAE)
  • Group B: Al-Sadd (QAT), FC Nasaf (UZB), Al-Faisaly (JOR), Sharjah FC (UAE)
  • Group C: Al-Ittihad (KSA), Sepahan (IRN), Air Force Club (IRQ), AGMK FC (UZB)
  • Group D: Al-Hilal (KSA), FC Nassaji Mazandaran (IRN), Mumbai City (IND), Navbahor (UZB)
  • Group E: Persepolis (IRN), Al-Duhail (QAT), FC Istiklol (TJK), Al-Nassr (KSA)
  • Group F: Jeonbuk Motors (KOR), Bangkok United (THA), Lion City Sailors (SIN), Kitchee (HKG)
  • Group G: Yokohama F Marinos (JPN), Shandong Taishan (CHN), Kaya FC-Iloilo (PHI), Incheon United (KOR)
  • Group H: Buriram United (THA), Ventforet Kofu (JPN), Melbourne City (AUS), Zhejiang FC (CHN)
  • Group I: Ulsan Hyundai (KOR), Kawasaki Frontale (JPN), Johor Darul Ta'zim (MAS), BG Pathum United (THA)
  • Group J: Wuhan Three Towns (CHN), Pohang Steelers (KOR), Hanoi FC (VIE), Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN)

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