Ebrahimzadeh already targeting title

AFC – ESFAHAN, After narrowly missing out on AFC Champions League glory last year nothing less than the title will do this time, according to coach Mansour Ebrahimzadeh.

The Iranian side surprised all in their continental championship debut as they claimed a number of formidable scalps before falling at the final hurdle with a 3-1 defeat to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in Tokyo.

Now they have regrouped and are fresh for a renewed assault on the title, though first they will need to progress from a tricky Group D that contains Al Rayyan, Al Shabab and Wednesday’s opponents at Foolad Shahr Stadium – Emirates.

“Last year we only did half of the job and this year we are going to strive to complete our unfinished task of winning the title,” said Ebrahimzadeh.

“Last year everybody said we had come to the AFC Champions League to gain experience for future tournaments, but everybody witnessed our team’s great performance.

“When the draw was made last year everybody named our group as the group of death, but I had a slogan for the team to convert the death into life and this year I have another slogan for my team and that is ‘we will survive’. This is going to be our slogan throughout the whole competition.

“This year we are only aiming at winning the title. I am a great believer that there’s a lot we can do this year.”

Zob Ahan are strong favourites to kick start their title bid with victory over AFC Champions League newcomers Emirates.

The UAE side were relegated from their domestic top flight last season but claimed a stunning first-ever victory in the President’s Cup.

“In my opinion Emirates are the strongest team in the group,” added Ebrahimzadeh. “They are so strong, quick and nimble.

“I know they’ll most probably be playing defensively, but we shall remain patient enough and devise intelligent attacks without any agitation.

“Fortunately everybody in my team has good motivation for the game and so do Emirates, because they’ll be confronting the runners-up from the last edition.”

Emirates have been faring much better domestically this season and currently top the standings in the UAE Division One and most recently they suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat to UAE Pro League leaders Al Jazira in the President’s Cup.

And coach Ghazi Ghrair feels that performance proves that his players fear no one, regardless of their reputation.

“Zob Ahan are very experienced, they have good players, they have good experience from last year, but we are also ready to take the points in Esfahan,” he said.

“We are not here to come back to the Emirates empty handed, we don’t want anyone to think we are weak because we are coming from the first division of the Emirates League.

“We are currently topping the table in the Emirates and in the last game against Al Jazira we demonstrated the good power of the team.”