When Mumbai City were drawn in the same group as Al Hilal ahead of the new Asian Champions League season, their players responded with such joy it went viral in cyberspace.
Neymar was on his way to the Riyadh side, as well as a host of other big-name stars, as Saudi football was in the process of shaking up the sport's established order.
The challenge for the Mumbai side of toppling a giant was going to be laced with even more stardust. Now the plum fixture in Group D is upon them, with the sides set to meet at King Fahd International Stadium on Monday night, but the Indian champions will be deprived of the chance to pit themselves against Hilal’s headline act.
Neymar is set to be sidelined for months having ruptured his cruciate ligament while on international duty for Brazil last week.