Before his side’s decisive AFC Champions League Two match against China’s Zhejiang FC on December 5th, Persib Bandung head coach Bojan Hodak revealed that the reason that the Maung Bandung were struggling in the continental front was because of the poor quality of the Liga 1 Indonesia compared to other leagues whose teams are participating in the ACL2. Hodak was proven right as Persib were beaten 4-3 – a result that eliminated them from the ACL2 – but the nature of said defeat meant that the Croat was also proven wrong at the same time.
“In the ACL2, any small mistake will be punished severely, while same mistakes will be overlooked in the Liga 1,” said Hodak, as quoted from JPNN.com, with his words proving prophetic as Zhejiang raced into a 2-0 lead at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium after just 22 minutes, the Chinese side clearly taking advantage of mistakes made by the likes of Nick Kuipers and Gustavo Franca in the Persib defense.
Hodak also highlighted the vast difference in quality between the Liga 1 and other leagues, which meant that his Persib side would have to take time to adapt to their opponents’ level.
And indeed – despite optimism from fans before the ACL2 campaign – Persib often found themselves struggling against teams from leagues with better quality compared to the Liga 1, despite being on-paper able to keep up with the likes of Thailand’s Port FC and Singapore’s Lion City Sailors.
There’s also the fact that the 2024/25 ACL2 season was Persib’s first continental campaign since 2014, so there’s bound to be a certain degree of nervousness and cold feet that affected the players’ consistency – being burdened with the task of improving Indonesia’s standing within the AFC rankings as the country’s sole representatives in the ACL2 would do that to you, especially since in the previous season, both Bali United and PSM failed to advance out of their groups, albeit for different reasons with Bali United prioritizing the construction of their training ground (as their owners are single-handedly funding their away trips in continental action) while PSM were affected by their yearly financial woes. So it’s only natural that Indonesian football fans are expecting Persib to do more in this year’s ACL2.
Compare Persib’s 10-year continental exile to Zhejiang, who were competing in last season’s AFC Champions League, LCS, who were in the same ACL season as Zhejiang, and Port, who also took part in last season’s ACL play-offs only to fall in the final hurdle to, ironically, Zhejiang.
But to the Maung Bandung‘s credit, they did exit the competition fighting with guns all blazing.
All three of Persib’s defeats came in situations where Persib were likely to make an upset against fancied oppositions – Hodak’s decision to field the second-stringers costed them in their opener against Port, while against Zhejiang in China, Persib were able to take the game to their more fancied opponents, only for Victor Igbonefo’s costly error to deny the Maung Bandung at least one point.
Persib’s last three ACL2 matches also saw a markedly improved performance from Hodak’s men, especially when star forward David da Silva was on the pitch.
Da Silva inspired Persib to a 3-2 win away at LCS, before landing home a last-gasp equalizer to ensure that Persib would leave Port with a point to their name, and he sparked Persib’s near-successful comeback against Zhejiang.
Unfortunately, as Da Silva was still recovering from injuries, he was unable to be deployed throughout the full 90, being usually utilized as an impact sub. And considering how he improved Persib’s style of play whenever he’s on the pitch, one might wonder what could’ve been should an injury-free Da Silva is allowed to lead the line for Persib since kick-off.
And it was this fighting spirit combined with Da Silva’s influence, that proved Hodak’s words wrong, that Persib were capable of rubbing shoulders with the big boys. It’s all down to the fine matters that the Maung Bandung are still struggling to figure out, but in time, should Persib make their continental return, hopefully they will have learned from this campaign and come back stronger. The lessons from their ACL2 journey can serve as a foundation for improvement not only for Persib Bandung but also for Indonesian football as a whole.
Hodak’s critiques of Liga 1 and the difficulties of adapting to continental-level competition are valid, but they also highlight the need for systematic changes in Indonesian football. Better infrastructure, higher-quality coaching, improved youth development, and exposure to tougher competition are all essential if clubs like Persib are to close the gap with their more seasoned Asian counterparts.
The fighting spirit shown by Persib, especially in their final matches, demonstrates that Indonesian teams can be competitive when the conditions are right. Players like Da Silva, who showcased their class and ability to perform under pressure, give fans hope for future campaigns. To build on this, Persib must focus on squad depth, tactical versatility, and reducing the costly errors that have plagued their continental performances.
Furthermore, this campaign should serve as a reminder to the Indonesian football community of the importance of consistent exposure to international tournaments. The more Indonesian clubs participate in competitions like the ACL2, the more they will grow accustomed to the higher standards and demands of Asian football.
For Persib, the ACL2 may have ended in disappointment, but the experience gained is invaluable. The key now is to channel that experience into meaningful progress. If they can maintain their fighting spirit, address their weaknesses, and return to the continental stage with a more polished approach, there’s no reason why the Maung Bandung cannot become a force to be reckoned with in Asia.
This campaign, despite its shortcomings, can be the start of something greater for Persib and Indonesian football. As the saying goes, failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. And with the lessons of 2024/25 fresh in their minds, Persib have every reason to believe that their next continental outing will yield even greater rewards.