In a surprising turn of events, the Al-Ittihad Saudi football team made a bold exit from Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium in Isfahan, Iran, citing concerns over certain violations and a failure to adhere to regulations set forth by the Asian Football Confederation.
The Saudi club formally requested the match observer to ensure strict compliance with regulatory requirements ahead of their scheduled match against the Sepahan Iranian team on Monday.
Insiders familiar with the situation revealed that the decision to cancel the match was rooted in the host club's failure to adhere to the regulations outlined by the Asian Football Confederation.
To delve into the details, the Al-Ittihad team opted not to enter the match stadium for warm-up exercises, allowing more than half an hour to pass beyond the scheduled start time before officially deciding not to participate.
As a result, the match was canceled, and the players of the Sepahan Iranian team briefly took to the field to acknowledge their fans before departing.
Local media outlets reported that the departure of the Al-Ittihad Saudi team was prompted by the presence of a statue of Qassem Soleimani and other political banners on the field.
The club, backed by the Saudi Football Federation, had taken all necessary legal precautions prior to arriving at this decision.
Saudi news sources, including Al-Ekhbariya, reported that the Al-Ittihad delegation promptly left the stadium and headed directly to the airport for their return to Saudi Arabia. They also shared a brief video capturing the team's exit from Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium.
This particular match was scheduled as part of the second round of the group stage in the AFC Champions League. At the time of the departure, Al-Ittihad held the second position in Group C with three points, while the Sepahan Iranian team occupied the third position with one point.
Complicating matters further, the Asian Football Confederation announced the cancellation of the AFC Champions League 2023/24 Group C match between Sepahan FC and Al Ittihad FC at Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium, citing unanticipated and unforeseen circumstances.
