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Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium: An embarrassment for Iran’s football!

The recent Sepahan match against Shabab Al-Ahli in the preliminary rounds of the AFC Asian Elite League playoffs unfolded at Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium this evening, in Iran’s second-largest football arena. However, despite its grandeur, the stadium’s recent renovation left spectators puzzled.

The Renovation Riddle

As fans gazed upon the pitch, they wondered about the nature of the recent renovations. The once-pristine lawn now bore scars—small patches of grass struggling to survive amid vast expanses of sand and soil. The uneven surface posed both aesthetic and safety concerns, raising eyebrows among players and spectators alike.

A Missed Opportunity

The decision to host the match on this subpar pitch remains a mystery. The AFC’s oversight allowed competitive football to unfold on an unsuitable surface. The blame lies partly with the match commissioner and the AFC Competitions Commission, who failed to ensure optimal playing conditions.

A World Cup Dilemma

Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium is slated to host Team Melli’s first match in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan. However, the current state of the pitch casts doubt on its readiness. With just a month until kickoff, urgent action is needed. FIFA and AFC must step in to safeguard players from the perils of competing on a makeshift field.

Azmoun’s Swift Impact

In the match, Sardar Azmoun—initially benched—made a dramatic entrance. Within a minute of being substituted, he spun magic on the field. A 180-degree turn inside the 6-yard box left defenders bewildered, and Azmoun clinically found the net. His equalizer showcased his brilliance, even against his national teammates as both Payam Naizmand and Saleh Hardani failed to stop his clinical finish, a trademark Azmoun goal.

Al-Ahli’s Triumph

Despite Sepahan’s efforts, Shabab Al-Ahli emerged victorious, winning 4-1 in extra time. The match will be remembered not only for the scoreline but also for the turf that tested players’ mettle.

As Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium grapples with its identity—majestic yet marred—the football world awaits its transformation. However, it is time that the AFC and FIFA act to stop matches from being played on such a poor surface not even suitable for grazing.

Team Melli players news.

Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad: Rising Star from Sepahan to Russia

Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad, the talented midfielder from Sepahan Isfahan, has captured the attention of football enthusiasts in Iran. His outstanding performance during the last season earned him accolades from experts and a coveted spot in Team Melli—the Iranian national football team. Now, he embarks on an exciting journey to Russia, signing a contract with Dynamo Makhach Qala.

The Move to Russia

Hosseinnejad’s departure to the Russian Football League marks a significant milestone in his career. Sepahan, his former club, stands to receive nearly one million dollars for this transfer. Despite Esteghlal’s efforts to entice him to Tehran, the 21-year-old midfielder has chosen to become a “legionnaire” in Russian football—a path taken by several Iranian players seeking international exposure.

Sepahan’s Upcoming Challenge

While Hosseinnejad sets his sights on Russia, Sepahan faces an intriguing challenge. The team will host Shabab Al-Ahli of Dubai at Naghshe Jahan stadium in the qualification round of the AFC Champions League 2024/25 season. What makes this match even more captivating is the potential debut of Team Melli’s striker, Sardar Azmoun, on Iranian soil in a senior club competition. Azmoun, born in Gonbed Kavus, was registered with Sepahan at the youth level but never made a senior appearance for the club, despite representing Team Melli at various age levels.

Shabab Al-Ahli’s Roster

Shabab Al-Ahli boasts another Iranian presence—Saeid Ezzatolahi. Unfortunately, Ezzatolahi is currently on the injury list. The winner of this match will advance to face Al-Gharafa of Qatar in the group stages of the AFC Champions League.

As Hosseinnejad’s star continues to rise, football fans eagerly await his performance in Russia, and Sepahan supporters hope for success in their continental campaign. The beautiful game unites us all, transcending borders and showcasing the talents of players like Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad.

Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai is the next destination for Azmoun.

After much speculation and anticipation, it appears that Sardar Azmoun’s next football chapter will unfold in the vibrant city of Dubai, rather than in Sevilla, Spain.

While no official announcements have been made by either the player or the clubs involved, numerous news outlets, including both Iranian and Emirati papers, have cited Fabrizio Romano’s account of Azmoun’s move to Shabab Al-Ahli as a reliable source. According to Romano, the Iranian striker is set to undergo a medical examination in Dubai after arriving there next Monday.

This marks the end of Azmoun’s European adventure. Having enjoyed successful years in Russia, particularly with Zenit St. Petersburg, his career trajectory took a downturn upon joining Bayer Leverkusen, where he struggled to make a significant impact. A subsequent loan spell at AS Roma, under the management of Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, failed to rejuvenate his career. Ultimately, Azmoun found himself surplus to requirements at Leverkusen, with coach Alonso deeming him unfit both mentally and physically for the champion team.

Interestingly, Bayer Leverkusen clinched the Bundesliga title last season even in Azmoun’s absence, going undefeated throughout the campaign.

Shabab Al-Ahli: A Destination for Iranian Talent

Shabab Al-Ahli holds a special place in the hearts of Iranian football enthusiasts. Over the years, it has been a preferred destination for Iranian players seeking new challenges. Notable legends such as Hassan Rowshan and Hassan Nazari showcased their best football in the late seventies while donning the Al-Ahli jersey.

In the early 2000s, another Iranian icon, Ali Karimi, graced the Al Ahli ranks, finishing as the league’s top scorer in the 2003-04 season and earning the title of Asian Footballer of the Year in 2004.

More recently, players like Mehdi Ghayedi and Ahmad Noorallahi have represented Shabab Al-Ahli. The club itself emerged from the merger of two Dubai-based clubs, Al-Ahli and Al-Shabab in 2017. Owned by Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Shabab Al-Ahli boasts a rich footballing history and continues to be a prominent force in the UAE football scene.

The club’s head coach is the Portuguese Paulo Sousa. The former Benfica, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, and Inter Milan player amongst other Europen clubs also managed teams such as QPR , Leicester City and Poland national team.

Azmoun’s next club is still uncertain.

Sardar Azmoun’s future remains uncertain after Bayer Leverkusen and Sevilla failed to reach an agreement. The German club rejected Sevilla’s loan offer for the Iranian forward.

Azmoun returned to Bayer Leverkusen after completing his loan spell with AS Roma, who chose not to exercise their option to buy him. However, his return to Germany has been rocky. Azmoun was disciplined by head coach Xabi Alonso for unauthorized absence and failure to report to duty, resulting in his expulsion from first-team training sessions and being made to train alone. Additionally, his physical condition was reportedly not up to standard.

Under contract with Leverkusen until 2027, Azmoun is keen to leave, feeling surplus to Alonso’s requirements. His options are limited, but Bayer Leverkusen is willing to sell him if a club offers around €10 million to recoup some of their costs. Last Tuesday, German newspaper Bild reported that a club in the Emirates League is willing to pay between €8 to €10 million for Azmoun. Bild also mentioned that Sevilla was interested in a loan deal, which Leverkusen rejected.

Meanwhile, German newspaper Kicker reported that if financial demands are met, Azmoun prefers a transfer to the UAE club, whose identity remains unknown, over staying in the elite leagues of La Liga or the Bundesliga.

Azmoun, 29, is currently Iran’s top active scorer with 52 goals in 81 games, closely followed by Mehdi Taremi with 48 goals in 83 games.

Esfahan is a strong candidate to host Team Melli

Iran will start its campaign to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on 5th September 2024 with a home game against Kyrgyzstan. The aging Azadi Stadium is automatically selected for Team Melli home matches with the odd exception during the last few decades.

This time, however, Naghshe Jahan Stadium in Esfahan is being mentioned as a possible host for the opening match in the third round of the qualifiers.
Azadi had its fair share of technical and political problems recently and in addition to demands by other cities in Iran like Esfahan, Tabriz, and Mashhad to have the right to host Iran’s National football team matches, this may have convinced the FFIRI to allow some home matches in other cities rather than just Teahran.

According to Nabi, the VP of FFIRI, Esfahan is a strong candidate for the first match., This will be confirmed soon, according to Nabi who is also Manager Of Team Melli.

Sevilla Move Quickly to Replace Youssef En-Nesyri with Sardar Azmoun

The La Liga club Sevilla are swiftly acting to replace Youssef En-Nesyri, who is set to transfer to Fenerbahçe.
The club’s sporting management is working on securing a loan deal for Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun from Bayer Leverkusen. Azmoun, who has been sidelined by Leverkusen’s coach Xabi Alonso since the start of pre-season, has accepted Sevilla’s proposal. The club is now working to finalize the deal as soon as possible. While Azmoun is the favorite, he is not the only option being considered.

Negotiations began weeks ago, but Sevilla’s financial constraints limited their options. En-Nesyri’s departure has provided the necessary funds to advance other operations. Azmoun is expected to join La Liga on loan, following his previous loan spell at Roma last season. The Iranian missed the first day of training due to illness and has since been excluded from Alonso’s plans.

Azmoun is under contract with Leverkusen until 2027. Roma had an option to buy him after his loan spell last season but did not exercise it. He played 29 games, mostly as a substitute, and scored three goals. At 29 years old and 1.86 meters tall, Azmoun has extensive experience in Europe, with over 350 appearances across Russia, Italy, and Germany. He is a legend in Iran and at Zenit St. Petersburg, where he won seven titles, scored 85 goals, and provided 38 assists in three years. Although his recent statistics do not match those of En-Nesyri, Azmoun’s playing style fits well with Garcia Pimienta’s tactics.

Mehdi Taremi scores on his debut for Inter.

Inter Milan, the Champions of Italy, played its first match preparing for the new football season with a friendly against the Swiss side Lugano. This match marked the start of the season for Inter and took place behind closed doors in Appiano Gentile. Team Melli center forward who recently signed for Inter Milan was a starter for the friendly match.

Inter gave debut of some other signings in this match. Beside Taremi, the Spanish goalkeeper Martinez experienced his first game in an Inter shirt. Both the new arrivals are eagerly awaited and are expected to play an important role in the team in the coming season.
Inter did not take long to score through Joaquin Correa in the 12th minute. Lugano, however, bounced back with two quick goals in a matter of five minutes both scored by Kacper Przybylko with a penalty lick in the 20th minute and then scoring on the 25th to put his club ahead 2-1. That was indeed the result of the first half.

In the second half, Mehdi Taremi scored the equalizer in the 59th minute. It was his first goal for the Nerazzurri. It came from the penalty spot, in the second half of the friendly. Taremi stepped up to the penalty spot and scored the goal that made it 2-2 for the Nerazzurri in the match against the Swiss club. Shortly after, Taremi made it 3-2 with a splendid shot in front of the opposing goalkeeper. It was his first Nerazzurri brace.

The match ended 3-2 for the Italian champions with Mehdi Taremi impressing and registering the goals that Inter will be eagerly waiting from him.

Sardar Azmoun left out of Bayer Leverkusen squad after returning from Roma loan

Sardar Azmoun has been reportedly excluded from Bayer Leverkusen’s squad. Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has withdrawn Azmoun from first-team training. The reason is that the Iranian, who spent last season on loan at Roma, turned up late for training preparations for the new season and was in poor physical condition.

Having returned from his loan to Roma, in fact, the Iranian striker’s new adventure in Leverkusen did not start in the best of ways.

According to Bild, the former Giallorossi player missed a training session, justifying his absence only after the end of the session.

This angered Xabi Alonso, who immediately decided to take him out of the squad. In the next few days, therefore, Azmoun will train individually.

In an interview, Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen sporting director, commented on the incident: “We need to clarify what happened. It’s not enough to do performance analysis, you also need to train. Yesterday it was there, today it wasn’t. We’ll see in the next few days.”

Azmoun’s late report to the training camp of Bayer Leverkusen was taken without prior permission of the club. The Team Melli forward is already on a shakey ground with Xabi Alonso who does not see the Iranian fitting into his squad.

The player has been linked with Sevilla, who seem more interested in a loan move. In German media, there is also talk of interest from teams in Qatar and Saudi Arabia Azmoun joined Leverkusen in 2022 from Zenit St. Petersburg for 2.5 million euros.

The high asking price for Azmoun by Leverkusen deters many clubs from taking him on board including Fenerbahce and Sevilla.

The only chance of Azmoun making the squad and gaining the confidence of Alonso is by doubling his effort in training, or else he will stay a bench warmer or make a cameo appearance with the defending champions of the Bundesliga.

Mehdi Taremi joins an elite club.

After officially signing for Inter Milan, Mehdi Taremi the Iranian talent that emerged from the Persian Gulf port city of Bushehr, has guaranteed his name in the elite of Iranian football.

What is Inter Milan?
Inter Milan, officially known as Football Club Internazionale Milano, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. They are commonly referred to as Inter and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries. Here are some key points about them:

  1. History and Achievements:
    • Inter Milan has a rich history and is one of Italy’s most successful clubs.
    • They have won 20 Serie A titles, making them a dominant force in Italian football.
    • Additionally, Inter has secured 9 Coppa Italia trophies and 8 Supercoppa Italiana titles.
  2. Global Recognition:
    • Inter Milan enjoys global recognition due to their success, iconic blue and black striped jerseys, and passionate fan base.
    • Their matches attract the attention from football enthusiasts worldwide.
  3. Players and Coaches:
    • Over the years, Inter has had legendary players like Javier Zanetti, Giuseppe Meazza, and Alessandro Altobelli.
    • Currently, they have talented players like Lautaro Martínez, Romelu Lukaku, and Stefan de Vrij.
    • The team is currently managed by Simone Inzaghi.
    • The Iranian Striker Mehdi taremi has recently joined the club.
  4. Stadium:
    • Inter plays their home matches at the iconic San Siro Stadium (officially known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza), which they share with their city rivals, AC Milan.

In summary, Inter Milan is a storied club with a strong legacy, both domestically and internationally. Their passionate fan base and historic achievements contribute to their fame in the football world.

Taremi officially joins Inter Milan

Inter has confirmed the signing of Mehdi Taremi on a three-year contract following his departure from Porto.

The deal between Inter and the striker, who left Portugal after seeing out the end of his contract, was reached earlier this year and was confirmed after he completed his medical.

Taremi made 182 appearances for Porto after joining in 2020, scoring 91 goals in all competitions.

The Iran international enjoyed a distinguished four-year spell at the club, winning the Primeira Liga, two Portuguese Super Cups, three Portuguese Cups and the Portuguese League Cup.

Taremi is the third player to move to San Siro so far this transfer window, joining Piotr Zielinski and Josep Martinez at the club.

The Team Melli center forward has expressed his eight as the first Iranian player to join the Italian giants Internazionale of Milan. In his first interview in Milan, Taremi focused on helping his club win matches, score goals, and assist his teammates.

Striker Mehdi Taremi will weigh a total of €5.55 million on Inter Milan’s balance sheet for the fiscal year ending next June.

This is according to Italian outlet Calcio e Finanza. The outlet does note that the commissions involved in the deal are not known, however.

Now it’s official. Inter has completed the signing of Taremi on a free transfer.

The Nerazzurri confirmed the Iranian’s arrival yesterday.

Taremi has arrived on a free transfer. His contract with Porto had run out at the end of last month, meaning that he left the Portuguese giants after four years and was able to join another club without a fee.

Inter’s propensity for free transfer signings is hardly a secret.

That is the route via which all of Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Andre Onana, and Marcus Thuram have arrived at the Nerazzurri in recent seasons.

And this summer, Taremi is not the only big name free transfer signing that Inter have made.

The Nerazzurri have also brought in Piotr Zielinski after his contract with Napoli ran out.

Mehdi Taremi Weighs Around €5.55M On Inter Milan Balance Sheet

Of course, even without a transfer fee, it is not as though signing Taremi has cost Inter nothing.

Calcio e Finanza note that the commissions involved in the deal have not been revealed. However, it is safe to say that there were some.

But in terms of the wages for the Iranian, Taremi is earning €3 million net per season.

Inter will not be able to apply the Growth Decree to these.

In the past, the Growth Decree would have allowed Inter to spend less on the wages of a player arriving from a foreign league like Taremi.

This would have been the result of lower taxes on the wages.

However, the Italian government scrapped the application of the policy to football last year.