“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.

Ulsan Hyundai beat Iranian club Persepolis 2-1 to claim the Champions League trophy at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar.

Persepolis drew first blood in the final as Mehdi Abdi Qara scored in the 45th minute.

But Ulsan Hyundai came back from a 1-0 deficit as Junior Negrao scored a brace in the 49th and 55th minutes to seal a 2-1 victory for the South Korean club.

Ulsan Hyundai previously won the Champions League title in 2012.

Yoon Bit-garam – Ulsan Hyundai’s South Korean midfielder – was also named the Champions League Most Valuable Player for scoring 4 goals in the 2020 season.

After the final of the AFC Champions League where Persepolis conceded a defeat against South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai on Saturday, Rasan announced that he will not return to Tehran with the team, bidding farewell to the team members.

According to reports he has inked a three-year contract with Qatar SC worth above $3 million. He has also received the permit to leave Persepolis after the ACL final from Mehdi Rasoulpanah, former General Manager of Persepolis.

The departure comes as the team head coach Yahya Golmohammadi and current General Manager Jafar Samiei oppose the move.

In min-October, Rasan had bid farewell to Persepolis fans by a post on Instagram. Reports of his agreement with the Qatari club had been circulating then.

Qatar SC had earlier signed Ali Karimi from Esteghlal.

If Rasan’s transfer is realized, he will be the third player who has departed Persepolis for Qatar after Shoja Khalilzade (Al Rayyan) and Mehdi Torabi (Al Arabi) in the year 2020.

The post Persepolis Gifted ACL to Ulsan appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Persepolis had previously defeated Al Sadd twice and lost once to the Qataris in the current season.

In the match held in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium in front of 90,000 spectators, the tournament top scorer Baghdad Bounedjah silenced the stadium, finishing off a first time shot with aplomb past the outstretched arms of Alireza Beiranvand in the 17th minute.

Shortly after, Persepolis put the visiting team under pressure to find the back of the net.

Four minutes into the second half, Siamak Nemati volleyed in Godwin Mensha’s cross from the left to make it 1-1 and put his side back in front on aggregate.

Persepolis goalkeeper Beiranvand shone in the 86th minute and produced a brilliant save to unmarked Xavi Hernandez’s header.

Persepolis, who appeared in their second successive semi-finals, had already defeated the UAE’s Al Jazira and Al Duhail of Qatar in the last 16 and quarter-finals respectively.

No side from Iran have ever won the title, meanwhile, with runners-up finishes for Sepahan in 2007 and Zob Ahan in 2010 the closest the country has come to continental glory.

The Iranian Reds will face either Suwon Samsung Bluewings from South Korea or Japan’s Kashima Antlers.

The post Persepolis advance to first ever AFC Champions League final appeared first on Iran News Daily.