ACL success will complete my career: Majidi

AFC – TEHRAN, Captain Farhad Majidi insists winning the AFC Champions League title with Iranian champions Esteghlal this season would complete his career and outweigh an appearance for Iran at the FIFA World Cup finals.

Majidi scored three goals as two-time Asian Club Championship winners Esteghlal reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League for the first time, with Amir Ghalenoei’s side set to take on Thailand’s Buriram United over two legs in August and September.

And after playing a key role as Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates won the inaugural AFC Champions League title in 2003 having lost the 1999 Asian Club Championship final with Esteghlal, 37-year-old Majidi has his sights set on leading the Tehran Blues to a third continental title this year.

“Winning the AFC Champions League with Al Ain in 2002/03 is one of my best memories and honours in my sporting career, but winning the AFC Champions League with Esteghlal would be a lot more enjoyable for me and it is maybe my only unfulfilled sporting dream,” said Majidi.

“If we are able to win this year’s title with Esteghlal, for me personally, it’ll be more pleasing than playing with Team Melli in the World Cup.

“Esteghlal are a very well-known club in Asia. We are very strong and we have had good results in the past editions, too. Buriram know they are up against a strong team, but for now we are fully concentrated on these two matches to seal a place in the final four.”

While Majidi was a regular in the Iran national team throughout much of his career, he was not included in the squad that represented the country at the finals in Germany in 2006 having missed out on selection by coach Branko Ivankovic. But, it seems, success for Esteghlal – where is currently enjoying a fourth spell – means more for a player who has won almost every major trophy in the Asian game.

Having exited in the Round of 16 in 2012, Esteghlal impressively won Group D ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and UAE Pro League champions Al Ain after losing just once.

And having sealed an eighth Iranian title, Esteghlal downed Al Shabab Al Arabi 4-2 on aggregate in the last 16 having won the first leg by the same scoreline before playing out a goalless draw at Azadi Stadium.

Esteghlal will entertain Thai FA Cup winners Buriram, who downed two-time semi-finalists Bunyodkor from Uzbekistan in the last 16 after finishing second to K League Classic champions FC Seoul in the group stage, in the first leg on August 21 ahead of the return fixture four weeks later in Thailand.

“I have only played once against a team from Thailand and that was during my stint with Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates. The team we played against (BEC Tero Sasana, in the 2003 AFC Champions League final) were very strong, but I don’t know much about Buriram United,” added Majidi, who is in his fourth stint with Esteghlal.

“We are going to watch their recent matches before playing them, so we can analyse their team ahead of the match. We don’t usually underestimate any opponents, but I don’t think we will have a very tough task against them.

“We hope we can almost wrap up a good win and qualification to the next round in the first leg in Tehran when we will be supported by our fans at home.

“The AFC Champions League has improved year-by-year and the teams which have won have been the elite and real giants of the continent. Asian football in general, and Korean teams in particular, has progressed a lot over the past couple of years. This year Esteghlal are representing Iranian football in Asia and I hope we can come out winners of the competition at the end of the day.”

Esteghlal’s latest title handed coach Ghalenoei a fifth domestic success after winning the league crown with the Tehran Blues in both 2006 and 2009 having returned to the club at the start of the season along with Iran captain Javad Nekounam. Ghalenoei also steered Sepahan to the title in 2010 and 2011.

“Amir Ghalenoei is the most successful coach in Iran’s football league,” said Majidi. “He’s had great successes with different teams and has always been a hero in Esteghlal both as a player and as a manager. I am hoping we can win the AFC Champions League under him.”