Mohun Bagan Super Giants are scheduled to travel on September 27 to Iran for their second AFC Champions League group-stage fixture against Sepahan SC on September 30. However, as of the time of writing, there is still no clarity on whether the Green-and-Maroon brigade will make the trip.
All Mohun Bagan players have been granted e-visas for Iran. The country follows a policy of not stamping visitors’ passports; instead, the entry stamp is placed on the e-visa. This change was introduced to ensure tourists do not face difficulties in other nations for having an Iranian stamp on their passports.
As RevSportz reported on September 23, Mohun Bagan wrote to the AFC’s competitions committee expressing their reluctance to travel to Iran. According to sources, some players had voiced safety concerns. The club requested that the match venue be shifted out of Iran, but the AFC is understood to have turned down the request, leaving Mohun Bagan with no option other than to travel and fulfil the fixture.
Meanwhile, head coach Jose Molina continues to prepare his team. After a two-day break due to adverse weather and poor ground conditions in Kolkata, training resumed on Thursday. Still, sources indicate that club officials remain hesitant, given the concerns of some players and their families about travelling to Iran.
The AFC, however, has reportedly assured Mohun Bagan of complete security arrangements. Similar guarantees are being extended to Qatar’s Al Wahda, who are set to play Tractor SC on September 29, and Bahrain’s Al Muharraq, who face Esteghlal on October 1 — both also in Iran.
Now, the decision rests with Mohun Bagan: whether to travel to Iran or to stand firm with their players’ concerns. If they skip the fixture, the consequences could be severe. Last season, Mohun Bagan had refused to travel to Iran due to political unrest in the country. On that occasion, the AFC refrained from imposing sanctions but forfeited the club’s remaining group-stage matches. This time, while the context is different, there is a possibility that the AFC could take a stricter stance, although the final call will depend on discussions between the two parties.
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