Returning to the tournament for the first time since winning the 2011 final, the majority of the Uzbek club’s travelling party were still schoolboys when Botir Karaev lifted the trophy a decade ago.

Twelve squad members were born this century, and only four of the 27 players named are older than 25, but Berdiev clearly believes in the adage that if a player is good enough, he is old enough.

The first of three matches at Bishkek’s Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in the coming week, the match pits the 2020 Yokary Liga runners-up against the reigning Tajikistan Cup winners.

Bishkek will play host to the group, which is set to provide new twists on old regional rivalries, with only one side to advance to the Zonal final alongside the winners of the Dushanbe-based Group F.

As the countdown to the kick-off continues, join the-AFC.com as we run the rule over the participating sides.

In the Dushanbe-based Group F, Uzbekistan’s Nasaf return for the first time since becoming the competition’s only Central Asian champions a decade ago, while FC Khujand, FC Alay and Altyn Asyr will continue their search for a continental breakthrough.

So, who are the stars, what are their stories and who is likely to join the winners of Group G in the knockout stage? Join the-AFC.com as we analyse the contenders.

Ahead of the 2021 AFC Cup kick-off, we look back at the tournament's history, reviewing every campaign and champion since 2004.

As anticipation builds towards what will be an expanded tournament featuring 10 groups, the-AFC.com looks at some of the key numbers from years gone by.

When the 2021 AFC Cup Group Stage draw was made on January 27, one of the biggest names among the contenders was a side that had not been seen in the tournament for many years, the 2011 champions FC Nasaf.

After a dominant campaign that saw them go all the way, the Central Asians have never had the opportunity to defend their crown, competing in the AFC Champions League in subsequent seasons.

The-AFC.com celebrates FC Nasaf's return following the decade-long absence by reviewing the side's highs and lows in the intervening years.