Sepahan – Al Sadd preview

GOAL – ESFAHAN, The Asian Champions League quarter-finals get underway on Wednesday, so here’s Goal.com’s preview of Sepahan against Al Sadd.

Sepahan, who were 2009-10 and 2010-11 Iranian champions, are currently experiencing a difficult period following the departure of coach Amir Ghalenoei with new boss Luka Bonacic under pressure with the team sitting seventh with eight points from six games.

The Iranians, who topped Group A above Al Hilal, Al Gharafa and Al Jazira, knocked out Uzbek club Bunyodkor 3-1 in the Round of 16.

Al Sadd reached the 2011 ACL after finishing runners-up in the 2009-10 Qatar Stars League before sliding to a sixth-place finish last term. The 2011-12 Qatari season begins later this week.

The Qatari club are another team unbeaten in this year’s ACL, topping Group B before getting past Al Shabab 1-0 at home in their Round of 16 bout.

TEAM NEWS:

Sepahan

Financially-troubled Sepahan have seen a host of stars leave the club since their last ACL match, including Ibrahim Toure, Khosro Heydari, Javad Kazemian and Mehdi Rahmati. Their woes will only be worsened by the news key Brazilian midfielder Fabio Januario are the key men, heaping the pressure on ace Moharram Navidkia.

Al Sadd

Ex-Uruguay coach Jorge Fossati is up against it in Iran and injuries to key international duo Yusef Ahmed and Mohammed Kasola don’t help his cause. Ahmed tore his anterior muscle while with the Qatar national team last week, while Kasola has a back problem sustained during the same camp. Since their last ACL match, Al Sadd signed Leandro from Gamba Osaka, while they added Senegal international Mamadou Niang from Fenerbahce last week.