Ali Karimi: Lebanon is not a strong opponent, there is no concern about the absence of legionnaires

Ali Karimi, referring to his absence from the national team lineup for the return match against Lebanon, stated: "There is no concern regarding the absence of several key players as Lebanon is not a formidable opponent." He, who will not be present due to receiving two yellow cards in the match against Lebanon, told the Student News Agency of Iran (ISNA): "The Lebanese team is not at a level that can change the outcome of the game, especially in Iran." Karimi emphasized the readiness of all national team players, stating: "The players have high coordination and cohesion to earn points in this game, and those on the bench are in very good shape." He positively evaluated the national team's performance in recent matches, saying: "The national players are in high spirits as they have achieved good results in the last two or three games. However, the off-field incidents during the match against North Korea did not affect the players' morale, but that incident harmed our national football and had a very negative reflection in Asian and global countries." He further expressed hope that with cultural planning for spectators, incidents similar to the off-field issues during the match against North Korea would not be repeated. Karimi continued, saying: "I am in very good physical and tactical condition, but due to being suspended, I will not be in this game, but I will prepare myself better for the match against Kuwait." The Al-Ahli UAE player, referring to his situation at Al-Ahli, added: "The Al-Ahli team has achieved good results in the cup matches, and since league matches will be suspended until after the Asian Cup, I will participate in the national team's training and have no specific plans to join another team until the end of my contract with Al-Ahli."