🤩 🤩 History about to be made in 🇲🇾 #Malaysia football! ⚽⚽ WATCH 🇲🇾 @OfficialJohor 🐯 owner @HRHJohorII speak about #JDT's ambitions as they debut in 🏆 @TheAFCCL! 🏆

WATCH: JDT owner Tunku Ismail Idris speaks ahead of Johor’s AFC Champions League 2019 opener

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Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim talks 2019 targets for Johor Darul Ta’zim

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Malaysia champions Johor Darul Ta’zim will make their debut in the AFC Champions League when they face reigning champions Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium on Tuesday. 

And their owner Tunku Ismail Idris spoke exclusively to FOX Sports Asia’sJohn Dykes recently about the Southern Tigers’ objectives for the new season.

“Since the very beginning, our main target and priority was always to win the league and the FA Cup, because it gave us the chance to qualify for the AFC continental competitions,” the Crown Prince of Johor said in the interview.

JDT won their fifth successive domestic title last season finishing an impressive 23 points ahead of runners-up Perak FA. It also enabled Johor to make it to the group stages of the AFC Champions League and tournament proper for the first time in their history.

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Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim outlines Johor Darul Ta’zim’s AFC Champions League 2019 ambition

“To be very realistic, the priority is always the league for us as it will help us qualify for the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup. So, that has been the priority ever year,” the Crown Prince said.

The JDT owner also said that his team helped redefine Malaysian football’s mentality where the domestic league has gained more significance over cup competitions during the last few years.

Speaking of the objectives for the new season, the JDT owner said that he doesn’t want to put his players under pressure by giving them unreal expectations.

“Obviously, I don’t want to put too much pressure on players saying they have to win the league. But I always tell them to target for the top four and if we can get anything above that, it’s well and good,” he said.

“Every year, our target is top four in the league and quarterfinals of the Malaysia Cup and the FA Cup. Anything above that is bonus,” he added.