On Wednesday, in light of the increased quota of import players allowed in Asian club competition, Johor Darul Ta’zim took to the field in their AFC Champions League Elite opener against Shanghai Port with nine foreigners in their starting XI.
Ten, if you include captain Natxo Insa, who was born and spent most of his life in Spain but now represents Malaysia after qualifying for citizenship via his grandmother.
Many of them have been brought in primarily for the purpose of taking JDT further on the continental stage, with players such as Jorge Obregón, Iker Undabarrena and Eddy Israfilov recent arrivals who had not been present for the start of the Malaysia Super League campaign back in May.
