“We will be prepared to battle with a desire to win because we know how important that game is going to be for both teams,” Fekri said.

“We know that so many people around the world will follow the match and we have to avoid being involved in the controversy. This is a sports competition and both teams will have to consider sportsmanship,” he added. Esteghlal is going to end their eight-years title drought. The win in the match will cement their place at top of the IPL table.

“We don’t want to lose the match but will not play not to lose. We will do our best and play calmly to defeat Persepolis. Persepolis plays attacking football and we have to control the match at the first minutes of the game,’ Fekri went on to say.

“Esteghlal will play logically on Monday and I hope we will be happy at the end of the day. We want to make our fans happy,” Fekri concluded.

Titleholders Persepolis is scheduled to meet Iran Professional League leaders Esteghlal on Monday in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

Persepolis has not won a single match after losing to Ulsan Hyundai on Dec. 19 in the final match of the 2020 AFC Champions League.

“To win the match is important but we are not allowed to defeat our opponents on any coast. We have to respect our rivals and the players must concentrate on the match. They have to fight for three points as a soldier,” Golmohammadi said.

“Persepolis and Esteghlal are the great teams with millions of fans and so many people have memories of their teams’ encounters. I have told my players the first important thing is to respect the opponent and they are not allowed to use social media to ridicule the other teams. It’s worthless and cannot change anything,” the ex-Iran defender added.

Persepolis has been held against Nassaji, Zob Ahan, and Sepahan in their past three matches in the league. Golmohammadi says they want to start winning from the Esteghlal match.

“We have to prove that Persepolis is a great club. We want to start our winning way from the Esteghlal match. We could have won our previous match but our players missed their chances. Now, we have learned from the matches and the derby could be a turning point for us,” Golmohammadi stated.

“Persepolis wants to win the title for the fifth successive time and important thing is to claim three points in the remaining matches. In the match against Esteghlal, our players have to capitalize on their opportunities and that’s what we need to do in this match,” he concluded.

The match has been scheduled for Monday in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

The 42-year-old coach will be assisted by Arman Assadi and Touraj Eyvaz Mohammadi, with Hassan Yousefi named as the fourth official.

The match will be 94 competitive meetings between the teams. Esteghlal has won 26, Persepolis 24, and the remaining 43 games finished as draws.

Esteghlal sits top of the Iran Professional League (IPL) and a win against their archrivals will help the Blues cement their places at the top.

IPL holders Persepolis have not won a single match after losing to Ulsan Hyundai on Dec. 19 in the final match of the 2020 AFC Champions League.

The post Persepolis vs Esteghlal News and Highlighted appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Esteghlal defeated Kuwait SC 3-0 at the 2020 AFC Champions League Preliminary Stage 2 in Dubai’s Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium.

Malian striker Cheick Diabaté scored twice in the 27th and 54th and Vouria Ghafouri made it 3-0 in the 59th minute.

Esteghlal will take on Qatar’s Al Rayyan SC at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday. Eventually, the winners will sit in ACL’s Group A along with Al Wahda FSCC of the UAE, Iraq’s Al Shorta and another team from the qualifying stages.

The other Iranian team beside Esteghlal, Shahr Khodro, defeated Bahrain’s Riffa 2-1 at the Sharjah Stadium. Mohammadreza Khalatbari scored for Shahr Khodro in the 19th minute but Saleh Taher equalized the match in the 35th minute.

With eight minutes remaining, Amin Ghasseminejhad scored the winner for the Iranian team.

Shahr Khodro will play Qatar’s Al Sailiya SC on Tuesday at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium and the ultimate winners will advance to Group B alongside Al Hilal SFC of Saudi Arabia, the UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli Dubai and Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan.

Iran’s Persepolis and Sepahan have already secured their places in the group stage of the competition.

The post Esteghlal, Shahr Khodro book for ACL playoff appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The Italian coach canceled his contract on Sunday and traveled to Rome early Monday.

Esteghlal has moved top of Iran Professional League after about four years under the discipline-based approach of the Italian coach but he left his post after the Iranian club failed to respect contractual obligations.

The local media have reported that around 100 Esteghlal supporters have gathered outside Iran’s Ministry of Sport and Youth, which owns the club, to protest the incident.

Amir Hossein Fathi was appointed as Esteghlal GM in November 2018.

Earlier this week, Andrea Stramaccioni has resigned as coach of Esteghlal after the Iranian football club failed to respect contractual obligations.

Stramaccioni assistant Javad Zarincheh has been named as Esteghlal’s interim coach.

The post Amir Hossein Fathi Resigns a General Manager of Esteghlal appeared first on Iran News Daily.

According To Iran News, Esteghlal football team edged past Shahr Khodro 1-0 to move up top of Iran Professional League (IPL) table on Thursday.

Cheick Diabate scored the winner in the 67th minute in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

Persepolis also defeated Zob Ahan 3-0 in Isfahan’s Fooladshahr Stadium.

Ali Alipour was brought down by Zob Ahan goalie Meraj Esmaeili in the penalty area in the 16th minute and referee Bijan Heydari showed the spot.

Mehdi Torabi found the back of the net from the penalty kick.

It was Persepolis’s first win in Isfahan after nine years.

Alipour scored in the 58th minute and Torabi extended the lead in the 65th minute.

IPL Results:
* Esteghlal 1 – 0 Shahr Khodro
* Tractor 0 – 0 Shahin Bushehr
* Gol Gohar 0 – 0 Naft Masjed Soleyman
* Nassaji 2 – 2 Sepahan
* Sanat Naft 3 – 2 Paykan
* Zob Ahan 0 – 3 Persepolis

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According To Iran News, Esteghlal football team defeated Fajr Sepasi 3-0 in Iran’s Hazfi Cup Round of 16 on Thursday.

The match ended in a 0-0 draw in the regular time in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium. Vouria Ghafouri was on target in 112th minute.

Sajad Aghaei extended the lead in the 118th minute and Dariush Shojaeian rubbed salt in the visiting team’s wounds in the 120th minute.

Shahrdari Mahshahr also defeated Esteghlal Novin Mahshahr 2-1 in Mahshahr derby.

The 2019–20 Hazfi Cup is the 33rd season of the Iranian football knockout competition and the final match will be held in Shiraz.

Esteghlal is the most-decorated team in the competition, winning the title seven times.

The post Esteghlal Beats Fajr Sepasi in Hazfi Cup Round of 16 appeared first on Iran News Daily.

In the match held in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, Emad Mirjavan scored an own goal in the 11th minute.

Esteghlal was awarded a penalty in the 32nd minute but Vouria Ghaffouri’s strike was saved by Rahman Ahmadi.

South African midfielder Ayanda Patosi made it 2-0 in the 38th minute.

“I am very happy because we defeated a strong team. However, we could have scored the third goal,” Esteghlal coach Winfried Schaefer said in the post-match news conference.

Esteghlal sits fifth in IPL table with 31 points, seven points behind leader Sepahan.

The post Esteghlal Beats Pars Jonoubi appeared first on Iran News Daily.

In the match, held in Antalya, Turkey, the Blues defeated their Brazilian rivals 2-1.

Morteza Tabrizi scored twice for the Iranian giant.

The Raça Sport Club, founded in 2004, is a Brazilian soccer club of the city of Hortolândia in the state of São Paulo.

Esteghlal prepares for the second half of the Iran Professional League (IPL) and the AFC Champions League.

The team is a favorite to win IPL title as it sits fifth in the table, six points behind the leader Sepahan.

Esteghlal will start the IPL season second half with a match against Paykan, slated for February 3.

The post Esteghlal Beats Brazilian Team in Friendly appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Esteghlal, who has been drawn in Group C, has announced it will host the Saudi Arabian team in Doha.

On Tuesday, Zob Ahan chose Iraqi city Karbala to host Al-Nassr.

According to Asian Football Confederation, clubs from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iran should play on a home and away basis as per the AFC regulations, but Saudi Arabia violated the order as their teams will not come to Iran to play the country’s teams.

The 2019 AFC Champions League is scheduled to be played from 5 February to 24 November 2019.

The post Esteghlal to Host Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in Doha appeared first on Iran News Daily.

In the match held in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium in front of about 40, 000 spectators, Padideh went top of the table after earning one point.

Esteghlal remained in fifth place with 25 points, six points behind the leader.

On Wednesday, Zob Ahan drew 0-0 with Naft Masjed Soleyman in Isfahan.

On Friday, Persepolis will play Pars Jonoubi, Tractor Sazi host Foolad and Sanat Naft face Saipa in Abadan.

Sepahan will play struggling Esteghlal Khuzestan in Ahvaz on Saturday.

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