Neymar To Play In India? Mumbai City FC Placed With Al-Hilal FC In Group D Of 2023 AFC Asian Champions League

Neymar has joined Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal for a record fees and with this team now clubbed with Mumbai FC in Group D of Asian Champions Legaue, expect Neymar to land in India.

Al Hilal's Neymar to come to India. (Source: Twitter)

The draw of the 2023 AFC Asian Champions League was released on Thursday (August 24) and India's Mumbai-based football club Mumbai City FC has been placed in Group D. Guess what? This group also has Al Hilal FC, the Saudi Arabia football club who have just hired Brazil legend Neymar Jr. The other two teams in this group as FC Nassaji Mazandaran and Navbhor. 

Neymar became the biggest signing in the history of Saudi Pro Legaue breaking the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo, who was bought by Al-Nassr earlier this year. Neymar has reportedly been signed for a record sum of Rs 2,492 crore. This will be a two-year contract and the additional perks he has got are a private plane, a 25-bedroom mansion which also includes a big swimming pool, three saunas and a dedicated five-team staff for the family of Neymar.

Coming to Mumbai City FC, they had qualified for the AFC Asian Champions League after winning the League Winner's Shield for the 2022-23 Indian Super League season and then beating Jamshedpur FC in the play-off. That win helped them get into the play-off of the continent's premier club tournament.

That moment when #TheIslanders were drawn out at the #ACL as part of Group D __#IslandersInAsia #AamchiCity _ @TheAFCCL pic.twitter.com/YJq5nSfMo9 — Mumbai City FC (@MumbaiCityFC) August 24, 2023

Mumbai City FC will play their three 'home' Gropup stage games at Pune's Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi. The venue has been shifted to Pune from Mumbai because the Mumbai Football Arena is enligible to host matches due to the infrastructutal lackings.

Neymar is surely going to be part of the Al-Hilal squad for the AFC Asian Champions League and that means he will be travelling to India to play one match. Not to forget, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr have been clubbed in Group E with Persepolis, Al Duhail, FC Istiklol.

West Zone AFC Champion League groups finalised

Group A

Pakhator

AL Fayha

Ahal FC

Al Ain FC

Group B

Al Sadd

FC Nassaf

Al Faisaly

Sharjah FC

Group C

Al Ittihad

Sepahan SC

Air Force Club

AGMK FC

Group D

Al Hilal

FC Nassaji

Mumbai City FC

Navbahor

Group E

Persepolis

AL Duhail

FC Istiklol

Al Nassr