According to media reports, the Saudi Arabian football champions Al-Ittihad did not appear in the Champions League game against Sepahan FC in Isfahan in protest against the bust of a former high-ranking Iranian military officer.
As the Asian Football Confederation announced on Monday (October 2nd, 2023), the game was canceled due to “unexpected and unforeseen circumstances” cancelled.
Object of dispute: Bust of a general killed by the USA
According to media reports, there was a bust of Ghassem Soleimani in the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium. The Revolutionary Guard general was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq on January 3, 2020.
Loud “Arab News” Saudi players and officials refused to enter the stadium. Also English media like “Mirror” and “Sun” took up the topic. The European stars are also at Al-Ittihad Karim BenzemaJota and N’Golo Kanté under contract.