2023-10-02 20:46:29
By Ad.B.
Posted 21 minutes ago
A statue of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was present at the exit of the players’ tunnel. X / Esterakolas
The Asian Champions League group stage match between Al-Ittihad and Iranian club Sepahan was canceled due to a pitchside bust of an Iranian general.
The Saudis of Al-Ittihad refused to play their second group match of the Asian Champions League this Monday against the Iranian club Sepahan. In question, the presence of a statue at the edge of the lawn, bearing the likeness of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who died in 2020. The AFC, the body in charge of the competition, mentioned “unforeseen circumstances».
The general in question, who died in Iraq after an American drone strike, is accused by his opponents of being responsible for thousands of assassinations. Diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran remain tense. This is the first time since 2016 that clubs from the two countries have been allowed to play each other home and away in this competition.
Faced with the Saudi team’s refusal to leave the locker room, the 60,000 supporters of the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium, located in Isfahan, threw projectiles onto the pitch. The teammates of Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté have already taken the plane to Jeddah.
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