Tag: UEFA Europa League

Karim Ansarifard joins Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus

After a long dispute between AEK Athens and their Iranian forward, Karim Ansarifard finally settled for Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus. Ansarifard signed a two years contract yesterday with an option to extend for another year. Earlier on Tuesday, the Iranian center-forward was released by AEK, with the two sides deciding to end their partnership by mutual consent.

 Ansarifard departed to Cyprus while he had previously played for AEK Athens, Olympiakos, and Panionios in Greece.  The much-traveled player also played for Nottingham Forest (England), Osasuna (Spain), and Al Sailiya (Qatar)

 The Serbian head coach of AEK Athens, Vladan Milovic, who has a history of working with Ansarifard in AEK and Panionios, and has also coached the Cypriot Omonia team for a period, reacted to the transfer of the Iranian striker to Omonia and considered it a very positive event. Milovic said: “Karim is a footballer who is a team player and easily scores goals. He works for the team and is not one of those central strikers who only sees himself. in the field”
He added: “I worked with Ansarifard both in Panionios and AEK and we had good working relations. He is one of the best strikers I have coached.” Praising Ansarifard he stated: “He is a footballer with high experience and a lot of experience in big teams. Omonia was a very good choice. Karim will help a lot. He is an experienced footballer in his prime. With Karim on the field, the coach can play with all systems. He is a very smart kid.”
In the end, Milovic said: “Karim is a complete professional player. He is at the service of the team and always gives his life for the team both in training and in the game.”

Matias Almeida AEK current coach did not have him in his plans and decided to end the collaboration with him. Ansarifard had another year left on his contract with AEK and initially refused to leave.

Ansarifard played two seasons with AEK Athens playing  63 matches and scoring 17 goals, thirteen of which came in the first season 2021/22.

Omonia Nicosia is the most popular team in the island nation and has a passionate set of fans. Omonia is involved in UEFA Europa League this season and plays in a tough Group alongside Manchester United, Real Sociedad, and FC Sherief. Omonia will be hosting Manchester United in Nicosia on Oct, 6th.

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh scores the winner against in Leicester City Europa League

The young Team Melli striker Allahyar Sayyadmanesh came from the bench and scored the winner for his Team Zorya against a leading English Premier League side Leicester City.

Sayyadmanesh who was subbed in taking the place of Oleksander Galdkiy in the 84th-minute score after three minutes assisted by Denis Favorov.

Leicester tasted defeat for the first time in UEFA Europa League Group G on Thursday evening after the late 1-0 loss to Zorya Luhansk at Slavutych Arena in Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine

The goal from a low cross into the box from Denys Favorov was turned in at the back post by Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, who is on loan to Zorya from the Turkish club Fenerbahce.

Leicester City leads UEFA Europa League Group G on goal difference ahead of Portuguese club Braga. Zorya is third ahead of AEK athens who have Karim Ansarifard on their roster.

Sardar Azmoun shows Wolves what they are missing with Europa League heroics

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ reported move to bring Iranian Messi Sardar Azmoun to the Premier League fell through in the January transfer window.

Whatever became of Sardar Azmoun?

According to Sky Sports, Wolves had agreed a deal to sign the Rubin Kazan striker on the final day of the January transfer window, only for the move to fall through at the eleventh hour.

Wolves wanted the option to sign Azmoun permanently in the summer for £11.5 million. Rubin, however, wanted the deal to include an ‘obligation’ for a permanent transfer – regardless of how he gets on in English football.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side backed out as a result. And, just days later, Azmoun moved to Zenit St Petersburg instead for a fee of £10.5 million, according to L’Equipe.

If he was disappointed about missing out on a move to Molineux, he didn’t show it on Thursday. Zenit were a goal down to Fenerbahce in their Europa League round of 32 clash and needed to turn the tie around in front of their own supporters.

Step up the ‘Iranian Messi’.

Sardar Azmoun (L) of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg celebrates his goal with Branislav Ivanovic during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 second leg match between FC Zenit Saint Petersburg and...

Azmoun turned on the style on his home debut, inspiring Zenit to a 3-1 win which puts them into the next round with a towering header reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo, let alone Messi. His second, which clinched the game, was clinically dispatched into the bottom corner with 15 minutes to go.

Unsurprisingly, he was nominated for the Europa League Player of the Week award. And his £10.5 million price-tag is already looking like a bargain.

Sardar Azmoun , the hero of Zenit St. Petersburg.

Sardar Azmoun was the hero of the night as his team Zenit St. Petersburg defeated Turkish side Fenerbahçe 3-1  to qualify for the next round of the UEFA Europa League.

Azmoun started the match , his first start with his new club and It only took him 4 minutes to make an impression when he assisted the first goal after he nicely chested the ball to Ozdeov in the six yard box for the Russian to score the first. That made the aggregate score (1-1)

Azmoun then headed a nice cross by Sebastian Druissi  to make it 2-0 for the Russian Champions. Fenerbahçe then silenced the home crowd when Mehemet Topal scored from long range volley with a stunning shot. It was 2-1 and 2-2 on aggregate , advantage Fenerbahçe.

 Sardar Azmoun, however scored the winner when he passed to marker on goal and slotted past the hapless Turkish keeper in the 76th minute.

It was a magnificent night for the Team Melli forward who was substituted out late in the match.

In Another UEFA Europa League match, Dinamo Zagreb defeated Viktoria Plzen 3-0 in the Stadion Maksimir (Zagreb) to qualkify for the next round.

Sadegh Moharrami played 90 minutes for his team Dinamo Zagreb.

Team Melli Captain chastised by fundementalists.

 Ehsan HajSafy and Masoud Shojaei , the two Panionios players who faced Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. have been chastised by extremist elements of the Basij for playing against what it called the enemy of the people! The two Iranian players who play professional football for the Greek Team, have been both involved in the match UEFA Europa League Third qualifying round, Game 2 played in Stadio Néas Smírnis on Thursday, August 3. The Israeli team won 1-0 away and advanced to the next stage of the UEFA Europa League while Panionios was eliminated from that European competition.

HajSafy and Shojaei training with the Greek club

In a communique full of religious and zealous rhetoric from a group calling itself  “Sazman Basij Varzeshkaran” virtually translated into “Organization of Mobilized Athletes”  it accused Team Melli Captain Masoud Shojaei and ex-Sepahan left back Ehsan Haj Safy of betraying the Islamic cause by playing against the Israeli team. It is believed that this shadowy group belongs to the large and omnipresent paramilitary organization with multifaceted roles, which acts as the eyes and ears of the Islamic regime. It is present in schools, universities, state and private institutions, factories, and even among tribes. It is an extremist ideological organization which has very little popular support amongst the Iranians; however, it has considerable power because of its close working relations with the clergy and the ruling religious hierarchy.

The Basij , with its many arms , is the main oppressors of the Iranian youth both male but especially females. Their extremist views on religion and forcing hijabs and Islamic dress code on females have made them the people’s enemy number 1. Their anti-western values, is also not going down well in the younger Iranians communities and circles.

The Greek first division club Panionios, respected the Iranians wish not to travel to Israel for the away leg due to the political issues and allowed them both to stay at home. However, in Athens, it was a different story. There was no reason for the Iranians not to play in Greece and refusal to play would have been interpreted as demonstrating political opposition which is against the rules of UEFA and FIFA.

The two players are the only known athletes in post-revolution Iran who have indeed played against Israeli teams or competed against individual Israeli athletes.

It is not clear if the two players will face sanction by the FFIRI or any other government authority. Team Melli , already qualified for the FIFA World Cup, will be playing South Korea late this month. Both Shojaei and Haj Safy are important and fixed players of the squad. Sources close to the Football Federation in Tehran believe that the two players have consulted FFIRI before the match and quietly received the green light to play against Maccabi.  This could not be confirmed officially.