My Heart Says Persepolis Wins ACL: Ghotbi
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Highly respected Iranian coach Afshin Ghotbi says that Persepolis of Iran can win the 2020 AFC Champions League.
Ghotbi helmed Persepolis to the 2007-08 league title in Iran league, while he spent several years as an assistant coach of the Korea Republic national team and at Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
The final will be held on Saturday at the Al-Janoub Stadium.
“It is surprising that Korean and Iranian teams have not met more often in the finals, as both nations have some of the best players in Asia. Historically, Iranian clubs' quality on the field has been weakened by their lack of organization off the field. While the best Korean players continue to play abroad, and the reduced budget in Korean domestic clubs keeps the best foreigners away,” Ghotbi said in an interview with the-afc.com.
“Finally, both Iran and Korea Republic have very competitive domestic leagues, making it challenging to compete in multiple competitions so this is also a possible factor as to why they haven't met more often in the AFC Champions League final.
“This year has been extraordinary. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the entire landscape of football, and it is impossible and unfair to judge performances and results. We should just congratulate both Ulsan and Persepolis for making the best of a global health pandemic.
“Most finals are duel of wills, concentration, and efficiency. The West Finalist (Persepolis FC) should be more rested and fresh, while the East Finalist (Ulsan) should be tired but in rhythm. For Persepolis, Jalal Hosseini’s experience in the central defense will keep the team competitive, while his ability to head the ball may give Persepolis the winning goal in set-piece situations. For Ulsan, Junior Negrao will definitely be the key. He continues to score the most important goals for Ulsan by being in the right position at the right moment,” Ghotbi added.
“Ulsan must stay compact defensively, attack with quick ball movement and tempo, react swiftly in transition, and be alert on set-pieces. It is impossible to predict the score, as both teams can win the game… My heart says Persepolis,” Ghotbi stated.
