JEDDAH — The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) announced on Tuesday that it closely monitored the developments surrounding the scheduled match between Al-Ittihad and Sepahan Isfahan in the AFC Champions League's second round. In an official statement, the federation expressed its solidarity with Al-Ittihad, asserting its commitment to securing the club's legal rights. The statement commended the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for its dedication to ensuring suitable conditions for the match. The Saudi federation appreciated the continuous monitoring by its representatives who accompanied Al-Ittihad to Iran. The Saudi federation concluded the statement by pledging full support to Al-Ittihad and the pursuit of all legal channels to protect the club's rights. Al-Ittihad announced its decision not to participate in the match against Sepahan Isfahan after being informed by the Asian Football Confederation observer that the game would not proceed as scheduled. This decision granted the team the option to leave the field. In a press release following the team's return to Jeddah, Al-Ittihad stated "The delegation left the field accordingly." The club affirmed its intention to investigate the details of the decision and urged the Asian Football Confederation to uphold the rights guaranteed by regulations and rules. The club expressed gratitude for the support received from the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Iran, the Ministry of Sports, and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. Al-Ittihad's return to Jeddah occurred after midnight on Tuesday. It is noteworthy that Al-Ittihad did not participate in the match against Sepahan due to reported legal violations in the stadium.
