The 2024-2025 AFC Champions League Elite Football Competitions will kick off tomorrow, Tuesday, when Iran’s Sepahan meets its guest, Shabab Al Ahli of the Emirates, in the Iranian city of Isfahan, in the first preliminary round.
The winner of this match will qualify to meet Al-Gharafa of Qatar in the second preliminary round on August 13 at Al Bayt Stadium in Doha, to determine the team that will qualify for the West Asia League stage.
Sepahan, who participated in the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League, held a two-week training camp in Turkey, in preparation for this match.
The host team qualified for the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League for the elite after winning the Hazfi Cup 2023-2024 for the fifth time in its history, noting that it participated 14 times before in the AFC Champions League, which is the highest number for Iranian clubs, and it previously won the Iranian League title 5 times, and reached the final of the AFC Champions League 2007, while it was eliminated from the round of 16 in the last edition.
On the other hand, Shabab Al-Ahli enters this match with strong ambitions despite playing away from home, as it has strengthened its ranks with many signings in preparation for the new season.
The Emirati team succeeded in signing Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun, who joined from German club Bayer Leverkusen.
Shabab Al Ahli’s participation in the preliminary round comes after it finished second in the UAE League last season, and it prepared for this match through a training camp in Austria.
