AFC - Sepahan defender Hadi
Aghili has conceded the Iranian League leaders cannot afford to slip up in
their remaining AFC Champions League matches as they prepare to face
two-time champions Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night.
Last year's AFC Champions League runners-up are bottom of Group A with no
goals or points after losing to Syria's Al Ittihad Aleppo and Kuruvchi of
Uzbekistan in their first two games.
They face group leaders Al Ittihad on Wednesday needing a win to keep alive
their hopes of making the quarter finals.
"The remaining four matches are very difficult and we have to win them all
to go through," said Aghili.
"Unfortunately our poor start means that if we have any more slip-ups we
will be out.
“We were runners-up last year so we have to play for pride. If we take
maximum points, then we might still have a chance."
Sepahan enter the match with a four-point lead in the Iran Pro League but
they will be handicapped by the absence of most of their fans with the match
switched to Tehran's Azadi Stadium after the club failed to make the
necessary renovations to the Foolad Shahr Stadium in Esfahan.
The club has called on fans of all teams to turn up and show their support,
even offering the incentive of a car as first prize in a raffle.
But Aghili says that playing in Tehran will make a difference.
"We won't have our own fans and we will need them because, without a doubt,
they (Al Ittihad) are the best team in the group.
"It would be better for us to play in front of a sold-out Foolad Shahr
Stadium," he added.
Aghili's defensive partner Mohsen Bengar will be back after serving a
one-match ban, but influential club captain Moharram Navidkia is still out
with a long-term injury.
Al Ittihad lead the group with maximum points after 1-0 wins against
Kuruvchi and Al Ittihad Aleppo in their first two games but the Saudi league
champions have a couple of major absentees for their visit to Iran.
Defensive midfielder Saud Khariri is suspended after receiving two yellow
cards while Brazilian striker Magno Alves, scorer of both their goals so far
in the AFC Champions League, has remained in Jeddah due to a leg injury.
There is some good news though with Saudi international midfielder Mohammed
Noor having recovered from the knock that he sustained in their last league
match against Al Shabab 10 days ago.
Team manager Hamed Al Balawi insists his team will be going all out for a
victory in order to maintain their position at the top of the group.
"We are going to Iran with an aim of getting a good result which will help
us to continue our good performances in the AFC Champions League," he said.
"We want to continue at the top of the group and qualify for the next round.
"The decision to move the game to Azadi Stadium was good and hopefully we
will have a good game on Wednesday which reflects our current level of
play."
The two sides first met in the AFC Champions League in 2004 with Sepahan
winning 3-2 in Esfahan before Al Ittihad extracted revenge with a 4-0 rout
in Jeddah.
