Istiklol Not Afraid of Persepolis, Captain Dzhalilov Says
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Tajikistan’s Istiklol captain Alisher Dzhalilov says that they will play powerhouse Persepolis but they are not afraid of the Iranian team.
Istiklol is ready for more when it takes on Persepolis in its first-ever appearance in the knockout stage.
When Istiklol was drawn against 2019 champion Al-Hilal SFC and 2015 runner-up Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai in Group A, not many people gave the team a chance of competing on its debut in the competition, but the Tajiks had other thoughts.
“The group was very strong, but we set ourselves up well in every match,” said Dzhalilov whose side prepares to face Iran’s Persepolis in the Round of 16.
“We believed in our ability to succeed and gave all our strength on the field. It was a great experience for us, and we are very glad that we made it to the next round, bringing joy to our fans and those of Tajik football,” he said.
Next up for the Tajik powerhouse is another of Asia’s great club sides; Persepolis has reached two finals and a semi-final in the past four editions of the competition, but Dzhalilov is unfazed by the challenge.
“Preparations for this match are proceeding in the most serious way. We have great respect for the opponent, but we are not afraid. We will play our game and go into the game only for victory.
“Football is not a predictable game; anything can happen on the field. We have already made history, qualifying from the group stage in our debut season and will do our best to get as far as possible in the tournament,” Dzhalilov added.
Istiklol will have home advantage with the game taking place in Dushanbe where the club has had great success domestically and in Asia’s second club competition, the AFC Cup.
“Our fans are some of the best and they always support us. They are our 12th player, and their support is very important to us. I urge all fans to come to the match, for our part, we will do everything in our power to please them,” the captain concluded.
