DUBAI: Esteghlal may be one of the most successful teams in Asian football history but the Iranian giants are claiming underdog status ahead of their AFC Champions League clash with Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Both teams have lifted the continental title twice but neither has won the Champions League since its formation in 2003. That Al-Hilal reached the final in 2014 and 2017 means they are the team to beat, according to Esteghlal coach Winfried Schaefer.
“Al-Hilal impressed last year in the AFC Champions League and they have done so far again this season,” Schaefer told Arab News. “They’re favorites. I think they know that too. They’re physically strong and they are full of players who have a good technique. They’re very confident and we know that we have to be at our very best. It is important that our players are aggressive and positive.”
Esteghlal watched Al-Hilal’s 0-0 draw with Al-Ain in the opening round of games last week and spotted a few chinks in the armor of Ramon Diaz’s side.
“I don’t want to point out their weakness just before we play each other,” said Schaefer. “But I’m confident we found a few weak aspects of their game that may benefit us. They are missing players, too.”
Al-Hilal are not only without star striker and AFC Player of the Year Omar Khribin but are also missing Salem Al-Dawsari, on loan in Spain, and playmakers Carlos Eduardo and Nawaf Al-Abed. Midfielder Salman Al-Faraj is also expected to miss the game. According to Riyadh media, former Bolton Wanderers star Ali Al-Habsi will play in goal instead of Abdullah Al-Maiouf.
In the opening round of games last week, Esteghlal, who are waiting on a couple of minor injury issues, had to be content with a 2-2 draw against Al-Rayyan of Qatar. It should have been better according to the German as his team enjoyed 62 percent of possession but had to rely on a late Ali Ghorbani goal to come away with a point.
“I can’t be happy with our finishing and that’s a problem that has followed us from the league. But on the other hand, I’m of course very happy regarding our team spirit, our performance in general. We made two mistakes and Al Rayyan was clever enough to use them.”
— Esteghlal vs. Al-Hilal, Seeb Stadium, Oman, Tuesday, 3:30 p.m. kick-off.
Winfried Schaefer says Al-Hilal are 'favorites' for AFC Champions League clash with Esteghlal
Winfried Schaefer says Al-Hilal are 'favorites' for AFC Champions League clash with Esteghlal
Africa Cup of Nations moved to every four years
- The tournament, which brings in an estimated 80 percent of CAF’s revenue, has traditionally been held every two years since its inception in 1957
RABAT: The Africa Cup of Nations will in future be held every four years instead of every two years, the Confederation of African Football said on Saturday.
The surprise decision was made at the body’s executive committee meeting in the Moroccan capital and announced at a press conference by CAF President Patrice Motsepe.
The tournament, which brings in an estimated 80 percent of CAF’s revenue, has traditionally been held every two years since its inception in 1957.
Sunday marks the start of the 35th edition, hosted in Morocco with the home team taking on Comoros.
Motsepe said the next Cup of Nations finals, scheduled for 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will go ahead and then another tournament would be held in 2028 but after that it will be hosted every four years.
Motsepe announced the launch of an African Nations League annually from 2029 to fill the gap, following the example of Europe which holds its championship every four years.
“Historically the Nations Cup was the prime resource for us but now we will get financial resources every year,” he said.
“It is an exciting new structure which will contribute to sustainable financial independence and ensure more synchronization with the FIFA calendar.”
Holding the Cup of Nations every four years had been previously proposed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino but this had been rebuffed by CAF because of their reliance on the revenues that the tournament generates.
The timing of AFCON has long courted controversy because it has usually been hosted in the middle of the European season, forcing clubs to release their African players.
This tug of loyalty was supposed to be solved by moving the Cup of Nations to mid-year from 2019 but later tournaments in Cameroon in 2022 and Ivory Coast in 2024 were again hosted at the start of the year.
This year’s tournament in Morocco was moved back six months when FIFA introduced a new-look Club World Cup, which was hosted in the US in June and July.
