2023–24 Sepahan S.C. season

Sepahan
2023–24 season
ChairmanMohammad Reza Saket
ManagerJosé Morais
StadiumNaghsh-e Jahan Stadium
Pro League3rd
Hazfi CupWinners
AFC Champions LeagueRound of 16

The 2023–24 season is Sepahan's 70th season in existence, and their 43rd consecutive season in the top flight of Iranian football. It is also the club's 23rd consecutive season in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The club will compete in the Persian Gulf Pro League, Hazfi Cup and AFC Champions League.[1]

Players

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Iran IRN Payam Niazmand (vice-captain)
2 DF Iran IRN Hadi Mohammadi
5 MF Iran IRN Reza Asadi
6 MF Burkina Faso BFA Bryan Dabo
8 MF Iran IRN Mohammad Karimi (captain)
9 DF Iran IRN Ramin Rezaeian
10 MF Iran IRN Farshad Ahmadzadeh
11 FW Iran IRN Kaveh Rezaei
13 GK Iran IRN Mohammad Gerami U21
14 DF Iran IRN Aria Yousefi U23
17 MF Iran IRN Esmaeil Gholizadeh U21
18 DF Iran IRN Milad Zakipour
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 DF Iran IRN Omid Noorafkan (third-captain)
22 GK Iran IRN Sadegh Salehi U21
23 MF Iran IRN Ahmad Reza Mousavi U21
33 FW Ghana GHA Issah Abass (on loan from Chaves)
44 GK Iran IRN Nima Mirzazad
58 DF Iran IRN Mohammad Daneshgar
70 FW Iran IRN Shahriyar Moghanlou
77 MF Iran IRN Ali Ahmadi U21
80 MF Iran IRN Arshia Sarshogh U21
81 MF Iran IRN Reza Shekari
86 MF Iran IRN Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad U21
99 DF Iran IRN Siavash Yazdani
  • U21 = Under-21 level player. U23 = Under-23 level player. SPE = Special group player. INJ = Out of main squad due to injury.


Transfers

Summer

Pre-season and friendlies

5 July 2022 (2022-07-05) Friendly Sepahan Iran 8–0 Moldova Sucleia Turkey
Report
8 July 2022 (2022-07-08) Friendly Sepahan Iran 3–1 Turkey JK Academy Turkey
17:00 UTC+3 Report

Competitions

Overview

Competition Starting round Final position Record
Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
Pro League Matchday 1 3rd 30 17 6 7 53 26 +27 056.67
Hazfi Cup Round of 32 Winners 5 5 0 0 10 2 +8 100.00
AFC Champions League Group stage Round of 16 8 3 1 4 18 14 +4 037.50
Total 43 25 7 11 81 42 +39 058.14

Last updated: 13 July 2024 (2024-07-13).
Source: Competitions

Persian Gulf Pro League

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Persepolis (C) 30 20 8 2 45 18 +27 68 Qualification for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite League stage
2 Esteghlal 30 19 10 1 40 15 +25 67
3 Sepahan 30 17 6 7 53 26 +27 57 Qualification for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying play-offs[a]
4 Tractor 30 16 6 8 42 22 +20 54 Qualification for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage
5 Zob Ahan 30 11 9 10 30 29 +1 42
Source: Iran Football League Organization - League Full Table, Iplstats
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Total goal difference; 5) Total goals scored; 6) Play-off at neutral venue.
(Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).[8]
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ Qualified as the 2023–24 Hazfi Cup winners.

Results by round

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
GroundHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
ResultWWWWWLWDLWWWWLLDWLLWWLDWDDDWWW
Position311111112211112223444433333333
Updated to match(es) played on 13 July 2024 (2024-07-13). Source: "Ipl".
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; P = Postponed

Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 9 August.[9]

10 August 2023 1 Sepahan 3–1 Tractor Isfahan
19:00 IRST (UTC+03:30)
Report
Stadium: Naghsh-e Jahan
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Payam Heydari
2 Zob Ahan 0–2 Sepahan
Report
3 Sepahan 1–0 Esteghlal
Report
4 Paykan 1–3 Sepahan
Report
5 Sepahan 3–1 Foolad
Report
6 Gol Gohar 3–1 Sepahan
Report
7 Sepahan 4–1 Sanat Naft
Report
8 Nassaji Mazandaran 1–1 Sepahan
Report
9 Sepahan 2–0 Malavan
Report
10 Sepahan 1–0 Persepolis
Report
11 Esteghlal Khuzestan 1–3 Sepahan
Report
12 Sepahan 5–1 Mes Rafsanjan
Report
13 Havadar 0–5 Sepahan
Report
14 Sepahan 0–1 Aluminium Arak
Report
15 Shams Azar 1–0 Sepahan
Report
16 Tractor 0–0 Sepahan
Report
17 Sepahan 1–0 Zob Ahan
Report
18 Esteghlal 1–0 Sepahan
Report
19 Sepahan 2–3 Paykan
Report
20 Foolad 1–3 Sepahan
Report
21 Sepahan 2–0 Gol Gohar
Report
22 Sanat Naft 2–1 Sepahan
Report
23 Sepahan 0–0 Nassaji Mazandaran
Report
24 Malavan 1–2 Sepahan
Report
25 Persepolis 0–0 Sepahan
Report
26 Sepahan 1–1 Esteghlal Khuzestan
Report
27 Mes Rafsanjan 1–1 Sepahan
Report
28 Sepahan 2–0 Havadar
Report
29 Aluminium Arak 0–1 Sepahan
Report
30 Sepahan 4–1 Shams Azar
Report

Hazfi Cup

4 March 2024 (2024-03-04) Round of 32 Sepahan 3–0 Shams Azar Isfahan
17:30 Reza Asadi 24'
Omid Noorafkan60'
Reza Shekari71'
Stadium: Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium
26 April 2024 (2024-04-26) Round of 16 Esteghlal Mollasani 1–2 Sepahan Ahvaz
19:30 Stadium: Ghadir Stadium
16 May 2024 (2024-05-16) Quarter-final Sepahan 1–0 Malavan Isfahan
19:30 Farshad Ahmadzadeh 39' Stadium: Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium
15 June 2024 (2024-06-15) Semi-final Sepahan (1) 2–1Gol Gohar (1)
20 June 2024 (2024-06-20) Final Sepahan 2–0Mes RafsanjanTehran
Stadium: Azadi Stadium
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Bijan Heydari

AFC Champions League

Group stage

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ITH SEP QWJ AGK
1 Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 6 5 0 1 11 4 +7 15 Advance to round of 16 2–1 1–0 3–0
2 Iran Sepahan 6 3 1 2 16 8 +8 10[a] 0–3[b] 1–0 9–0
3 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 3 1 2 9 7 +2 10[a] 2–0 2–2 3–2
4 Uzbekistan AGMK 6 0 0 6 5 22 −17 0 1–2 1–3 1–2
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Ranked on head-to-head points: Sepahan 4, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1.
  2. ^ The match was abandoned after Al-Ittihad walked off in protest due to the presence of a sculpture of Qasem Soleimani on the pitch.[10] The match was awarded a 3–0 win to Al-Ittihad, with Sepahan also being fined $200,000 and banned from hosting its next three Asian Champions League matches at home.[11][12]
18 September 2023 (2023-09-18) 1 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Iraq 2–2 Iran Sepahan Franso Hariri Stadium,[note 1] Erbil
19:00 UTC+3
Report Attendance: 10,327
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
2 October 2023 (2023-10-02) 2 Sepahan Iran 0–3 (awd.) Saudi Arabia Al Ittihad Isfahan, Iran
19:30 UTC+3:30 Stadium: Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium
Note: The match was called off due to Al-Ittihad refusing to take the pitch over a bust of Qasem Soleimani.[13] On 2 November 2023, AFC awarded a 3–0 win to Al-Ittihad.[14]
23 October 2023 (2023-10-23) 3 AGMK Uzbekistan 1–3 Iran Sepahan OKMK Sport Majmuasi, Olmaliq
19:00 UTC+5 Report
Attendance: 3,200
Referee: Omar Mohamed Al Ali (United Arab Emirates)
6 November 2023 (2023-11-06) 4 Sepahan Iran 9–0 Uzbekistan AGMK Azadi Stadium[note 2], Tehran
19:30 UTC+3:30
Report Attendance: 4,721
Referee: Kim Jong-hyeok (South Korea)
27 November 2023 (2023-11-27) 5 Sepahan Iran 1–0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Azadi Stadium,[note 2] Tehran
21:30 UTC+3:30 Report Attendance: 10,450
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
4 December 2023 (2023-12-04) 6 Al-Ittihad Saudi Arabia 2–1 Iran Sepahan Mecca, Saudi Arabia
21:00 UTC+3 Al-Amri 14'
Felipe Yellow card 19'
Hamdallah Yellow card 45'
Al-Ghamdi Yellow card 68'
Jota 69'
Z. Hawsawi Yellow card 90+2'
Report Dabo Yellow card 45+4'
Rezaeian 48'
Asadi Yellow card 68'
Niazmand Yellow card 88'
Stadium: King Abdul Aziz Stadium
Attendance: 11,159
Referee: Ma Ning (China)

Round of 16

15 February 2024 First leg Sepahan Iran 1–3 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal Isfahan, Iran
19:30 UTC+3:30 Karimi Yellow card 29'
Rezaeian 37', Yellow card 86'
Daneshgar Red card 76'
Report Malcom 57', Yellow card 86'
Mitrović 90+4'
Al-Hamdan 90+7'
Stadium: Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium
Attendance: 61,265
Referee: Ahmad Al-Ali (Kuwait)
22 February 2024 Second leg Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia 3–1
(6–2 agg.)
Iran Sepahan Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
21:00 UTC+3 S. Al-Dawsari 76'
Neves 82'
Mitrović 90+7'
Report Ahmadzadeh 54'
Yazdani Red card 71'
Stadium: Kingdom Arena
Attendance: 18,055
Referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)

Notes

  1. ^ Team did not use their own home stadium.
  2. ^ a b After an investigation about displaying a sculpture of Qasem Soleimani during the home match against Ittihad FC, Sepahan were banned from playing three home matches of this competition at Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium. Since Sepahan qualified for the knockout stage, this ban will include the home leg in the round of 16.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC - Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos and news". Soccerway.
  2. ^ "اولین ورودی فصل جدید سپاهان مشخص شد". ورزش سه (in Persian).
  3. ^ "اولین توافق بزرگ فصل جدید: نیازمند - سپاهان". ورزش سه (in Persian).
  4. ^ "شکاری، رسمی: دومین بمب سپاهان از روی شماره!". ورزش سه (in Persian).
  5. ^ "فصل تازه کاوه رضایی در اصفهان". ورزش سه (in Persian).
  6. ^ "رسمی: رضا اسدی به سپاهان پیوست". ورزش سه (in Persian).
  7. ^ "یاغی آبی رسما با پیراهن پرسپولیس". ورزش سه (in Persian).
  8. ^ "اعلام نحوه تعیین قهرمان،صعود و سقوط کنندگان". iranleague.
  9. ^ "برنامه بازی های تراکتور در لیگ بیست و سوم". سرخ نیوز (in Persian).
  10. ^ Blow, Tom (2 October 2023). "Al-Ittihad match cancelled as they refuse to play in Iran due to statue by pitch". The Mirror. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Iranian club Sepahan penalized over canceled ACL match after Saudi team's walkout". AP News. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Al-Ittihad's match against Iran's Sepahan 3-0 for saudi side due to Qassem Soleimani busts in stadium". Arab News. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Al-Ittihad's match against Iran's Sepahan cancelled".
  14. ^ "Sepahan handed fine, stadium ban after Al-Ittihad cancellation".
  15. ^ "Sepahan handed fine, stadium ban after Al-Ittihad cancellation". Reuters. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.