When Qatar was declared as the host by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the East Zone matches of the 2020 AFC Champions League last week, not many would have been left surprised.
Qatar's meticulous planning and execution while hosting the West Asian matches of the elite continental club competition from 14 September to 3rd October meant there was a certain inevitability about the East Zone matches being held in Doha too.
Amid a global pandemic that had virtually stalled the sport, AFC were finding it tough to complete their club and national team competitions.