Bakhtiarizadeh named Esteghlal coach until end of season
Former Esteghlal defender and Iran international Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh has been appointed the club’s interim head coach until the end of the season, the Persian Gulf Pro League side announced on Sunday.
Bakhtiarizadeh, 48, succeeds Portuguese coach Ricardo Sá Pinto, who was dismissed following Esteghlal’s last-16 exit from the AFC Champions League Two on Tuesday.
The Tehran Blues conceded two late goals in a 3-2 defeat to Jordan’s Al Hussein in Amman, bowing out 4-2 on aggregate from Asia’s second-tier club competition.
“The club’s board of directors has always believed that utilizing loyal human assets emerging from the Esteghlal family constitutes a sustainable, identity-driven strategy for the future,” the club said in a statement. “Accordingly, after considering the current circumstances and the technical committee’s recommendations, the board has decided to appoint Mr. Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh as head coach of Esteghlal Football Team.”
The appointment marks Bakhtiarizadeh’s third spell on the Blues’ bench since October 2024.
He oversaw eight matches across two brief stints last season, recording four wins and two defeats.
The highlight of his previous tenure came on the final day of the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite in February last year, when Esteghlal secured a 2-0 away victory over Qatar’s Al Rayyan in a must-win encounter to advance to the round of 16 ahead of domestic rival Persepolis.
Under Sá Pinto this season, Esteghlal registered 13 wins and eight defeats in 31 matches in all competitions. The club sits third in the Persian Gulf Pro League standings with 35 points from 20 matches, one point behind leaders Golgohar Sirjan and level with second-placed Tractor.
Esteghlal also remains in contention to defend its Hazfi Cup title and will face Khaybar Khorramabad in the quarterfinals.