AFC Champions League:
Sepahan vs. Al Ittihad called off after Saudi side refuses to play
An AFC Champions League match between Iranian club Sepahan and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad was canceled on Monday after the Saudi side refused to take to the pitch at Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium.
The Group C game was called off “due to unanticipated and unforeseen circumstances,” the Asian Football Confederation said in a statement later on Monday.
“The AFC reiterates its commitment towards ensuring the safety and security of the players, match officials, spectators, and all stakeholders involved,” read the statement, adding: “This matter will now be referred to the relevant committees.”
Al Ittihad is yet to officially announce the reason behind the controversial decision but wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the club was informed by the AFC’s organizing official that “the game would not take place on the scheduled date and the team is allowed to leave the venue.”
Al Ittihad flew back to Saudi Arabia on Monday night.
Several sources, including the Iranian Fars and Tasnim new agencies, reported that the players of the Saudi side refused to leave the dressing room due to a bust of Iranian Quds Force General Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a US drone strike near the Baghdad airport in January 2020, being placed at the entrance to the pitch.
“Everything was in place for a proper game of football but Al Ittihad came up with demands that were not sport-related at all,” Sepahan CEO Mohammadreza Saket said afterwards.
“I can assure all Sepahan supporters that the club will lodge a complaint to the AFC against Al Ittihad’s behavior,” Saket added.
Sepahan shared the points with Iraq’s Air Force Club in a 2-2 draw in Erbil on Matchday One of the Asian elite clubs competition, while Al Ittihad defeated Uzbekistan’s AGMK FC 3-0 at home.
Elsewhere on Monday, Air Force Club walked away with a 2-1 victory at AGMK to move atop the group.