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Keeping their gamers’ “security and safety” in thoughts, Mohun Bagan Super Giant have determined in opposition to travelling to Iran for his or her AFC Champions League match in opposition to Tractor FC owing to the prevailing risky state of affairs within the west Asian nation. Mohun Bagan SG had been scheduled to play Tractor FC on Wednesday and had been to fly instantly from Bengaluru after their Indian Super League fixture in opposition to Bengaluru FC on Sunday. But the Indian heavyweight membership, as an alternative, opted to return to Kolkata after their gamers expressed unwillingness to play in Iran at a time when the nation has introduced a state of mourning for 5 days following the demise of a distinguished normal in its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in an Israeli air strike.
“Our 35 registered gamers, together with seven foreigners, wrote to membership that they do not need to go to Iran now. So we tagged their letters and wrote to the AFC, asking them to both reschedule the match or transfer the sport to a impartial venue,” a Mohun Bagan supply advised PTI on Monday from Kolkata.
“We have determined to not journey to Iran preserving our gamers’ security and safety in thoughts, as a result of that’s paramount. We have additionally written to the ministry of exterior affairs as their advisory states that you would be able to go to Iran or Israel by yourself duty,” the supply added.
“We had our flight tickets booked and the lodge lodging was additionally organized, however we simply could not threat our gamers’ security when the nation is in a state of mourning.” The membership sought readability on the problem from the Asian Football Federation, the sport’s continental physique.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant had been slated to face Tractor FC of their second sport of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League 2 on the Yadegar-e Emam Stadium in Iran’s Tabriz.
In their first match of Group A, Mohun Bagan Super Giant had performed out a goalless draw in opposition to Tajikistan’s FC Ravshan. Tractor FC lead the standings following a 3-0 win over Qatar’s Al-Wakrah SC.
