Why Karim Benzema's Al-Ittihad refused to play against Iranian team in Asian Champions League

Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad refused to play their second Asian Champions League match against Iran'sSepahan club on Monday (October 2). The Saudi club and its players declined to come out of the dressing room after reporting the presence of a bust of assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

The match was to take place at theNaghsh-e Jahan Stadium in Isfahan and a capacity crowd of 60,000 had already gathered to see the likes of Karim Benzema, Fabinho and N'golo Kante take the pitch.

After the cancellation, theAsian Football Confederation (AFC) released a brief statement saying the match was "cancelled due to unanticipated and unforeseen circumstances".

"The AFC reiterates its commitment towards ensuring the safety and security of the players, match officials, spectators, and all stakeholders involved. This matter will now be referred to the relevant committees,"the body said in a statement.

According to a Reuters report, the reason for the cancellationwas the presence of the bust ofSoleimani. Photographs from the stadium published on social media showed the statue placed at the entrance of the pitch, whichwould have been in full view of the players as they exited the tunnel.

Frosty Iran and Saudi Arabia relations

The bilateral relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been frosty for a long time. This was the first instance since 2016 when clubs from both nations had been permitted to play one another home and away. However, the presence of Solemani, a divisive figure in the kingdom, managed to undo all the goodwill.

The kingdom has been involved in Yemen where it has been fighting theIran-aligned Houthi group since 2015.The conflict started in September 2014when the Houthis overran the capital Sanaa, forcing Saudi Arabia tolaunch their offensive the following March.

While the fighting has largely stopped, Riyadh cannot fully separateitself from the conflict, which has been the cause of death for tens of thousands.

Notably, Solemani was seen as playing a key role in arming, training and leading armed groups across the region, including fighters from the Houthi rebel group. Solemani commanded Iran's Quds Forces before he was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq on January 20.

The flare-up in tensions over the football field suggests that the recent meeting between the kingdom officials anda delegation of Yemen's Houthi rebels has not reached the desired end.

(With inputs from agencies)

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