Al Duhail will be hoping their star midfielder recovers before the start of the 2021 AFC Champions League which will see 40 teams in the group stage - an increase of eight - vying for honours.

Incepted in 1974, the Iraqi Premier League has its fair share of derbies that set the adrenaline pumping with fans eager for their team to claim bragging rights.

As the kick-off date for the historic 2021 edition approaches, the-AFC.com looks back at the 2020 tournament which turned out to be a thrilling affair despite the challenging circumstances.

We kicked off the series in style, with fans voting Persepolis FC's Mehdi Abdi Qara as the winner of Best Headers of 2020. Our next installment looks at the fabulous goals scored from free-kicks and invite you, the fan, to tell us which was your favourite.

Hailing from a uniquely passionate footballing nation but - with a few notable exceptions - one which has tended to keep its top players on home soil, Indonesia’s youth brigade of 2021 is travelling far and wide in a bid to enhance their prospects of stardom.

So, who are these ambitious youngsters, where are they playing, and what should we expect?

Join the-AFC.com as we profile eight Indonesian players abroad aged 21 or younger – five based in Europe and three in Asia – and let us know which one has the greatest potential.

Defending AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar and 2015 winners Australia had both been invited to compete in an expanded 12-team competition in 2020, but a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with recently rescheduled Asian Qualifiers fixtures have forced both nations to withdraw.

Both the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Football Australia confirmed they will not compete in the tournament, to be held in Argentina and Colombia in June and July, in official statements.

Legacy ‘23 is an ambitious plan for Australia to realise enduring and exciting benefits as a result of hosting the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Jeonbuk achieved the domestic double last season, edging Ulsan Hyundai FC to the league and Cup titles but their dreams of a third AFC Champions League triumph ended in the group stage.

Ulsan, meanwhile, went on to lift the AFC Champions League title for the second time in their history.