Persepolis Faces Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia

The draw for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League was held in Malaysia, and Persepolis of Iran will face Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia. The first leg will be hosted by Persepolis on Tuesday, August 22, and the return match will take place on September 11, hosted by Al-Ahli. Given that there is currently no travel between Iranian and Saudi sports teams, the definitive host for both matches has not yet been determined. Al-Ain of the UAE and Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia will play another quarter-final match. Al-Ain eliminated Zob Ahan of Isfahan in the group stage and also knocked out Esteghlal in the Round of 16. In East Asia, two Chinese teams, Shanghai and Guangzhou, will face each other, with the winner set to meet the winner of the Japanese teams Kawasaki and Urawa. The champions of West Asia and East Asia will compete in the final of the AFC Champions League in a two-legged format. Until now, matches involving Iranian and Saudi representatives have been held in Oman, which has caused dissatisfaction among clubs and fans. The extreme heat, travel difficulties for Iranian fans, and the numerical superiority of Saudi fans were among the reasons Iranians called for an end to Oman hosting. In a meeting between Mehdi Taj, the president of the federation, and Taheri, the caretaker of Persepolis, it was decided that the red-clad team would host Al-Ahli in Tajikistan or Turkmenistan. Ali Akbar Taheri will travel to these two countries to assess the hosting conditions, a move that has been welcomed by Persepolis fans on social media. According to Fars News Agency, Uzbekistan had previously announced that it could not host Iranian teams. The condition of the pitch, hosting facilities, and accommodation will determine whether Tajikistan will be introduced as Iran's ground against Al-Ahli or if the match will take place in Turkmenistan. After the draw ceremony, Branko Ivankovic stated: 'Almost all teams are equal, and they have all shown very good performances; there will be no difference between our rivals, and a tough match awaits us.' The Persepolis coach further told reporters: 'Al-Ahli, like Al-Hilal, is a very good team. The most important issue is that we prepare ourselves well because Al-Ahli will have changes in the new season.' Branko emphasized: 'We are fully aware of our goal, which is to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League, and the pressures that will exist.'