While it emerges later than planned, hosted in centralised venues across the region rather than the traditional home and away format, the new campaign does however, successfully roll out as planned the highly anticipated expansion of the tournament\u2019s group stage from 32 teams to 40.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While concerns of watering down quality, or fears that a lopsided new format will tarnish the spectacle have gained some backing, the attempt to level the playing field across the whole of Asia, something the AFC initiated so successfully at international level at the last Asian Cup, remains a tantalising prospect for many observers who have long-called for greater club exposure for the so-called smaller nations of Asian football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alongside Jordan and India, Tajikistan will enter the AFC Champions League group stage for the first time in their history this week. It\u2019s apt that their lightning rod for so many years FC Istiklol are their eventual history makers; even more timely given the club\u2019s sustained challenge on the continent over the last decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regrettably, the Dushanbe-based club is no fairytale story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A club that only came into being as recently as 2007, partly to mark Tajik Independence (the club\u2019s name directly translates as such), partly as a vanity project for the nation\u2019s exuberant President\u2019s son Rustam Emomali, has long been held as a team of the establishment, and their rise through the Tajik football pyramid demonstrated it\u2019s nepotistic links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n