1971 Asian Champion Club Tournament


The 1971 Asian Champion Club Tournament was the fourth edition of the annual Asian club football competition hosted by Asian Football Confederation. Eight clubs from eight countries competed in the tournament. The tournament was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 21 March to 2 April. Eight clubs were split in two groups of four and the group winners and the runners-up advanced to semifinals.
Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. recorded their second Asian title after Al-Shorta refused to play against them in protest at the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Al-Shorta players waved the Palestinian flag and the Iraqi flag around the field.
Al-Shorta were regarded as the winners of the tournament in the Iraqi and Arab media and were greeted with a heroes' reception upon their return to the country. Israel were expelled from the AFC three years later, and Al-Shorta consider themselves to be the winner of the tournament, adding a star above their logo to represent this.

Participants

Result

Preliminary Round

These were the group allocation matches. Each group consisted of two winners and two losers from this round. The draw for the preliminary round was re-made after Al-Shorta refused to play Maccabi Tel-Aviv as had been scheduled in the original draw.

Group Stage

Group A

Group B

1: Al-Shorta withdrew from this match, awarded to Maccabi.

Knockout Stage

Semi-finals

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Third Place Match

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Final

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1 The final was scratched and Maccabi Tel Aviv were awarded the championship as Al-Shorta players waved Iraqi and Palestinian flags around the pitch, refusing to play the Israeli side for political reasons.