Mohun Bagan SG Decides Against Traveling to Iran to Ensure Player Safety

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Due to concerns for their players' safety and security, Mohun Bagan Super Giant has made the decision not to travel to Iran for their AFC Champions League match against Tractor FC. The current volatile situation in the west Asian nation led the Indian club to prioritize the well-being of their team. Originally scheduled to face Tractor FC on Wednesday after their Indian Super League match against Bengaluru FC, Mohun Bagan SG chose to return to Kolkata instead. The players were hesitant to participate in a match in Iran during a period of national mourning following the death of a prominent general in the country's Revolutionary Guard.

"Our 35 registered players, including seven foreigners, wrote to club that they don't want to go to Iran now. So we tagged their letters and wrote to the AFC, asking them to either reschedule the match or move the game to a neutral venue," a Mohun Bagan source told PTI on Monday from Kolkata.

"We have decided to not travel to Iran keeping our players' safety and security in mind, because that is paramount. We have also written to the ministry of external affairs as their advisory states that you can go to Iran or Israel on your own responsibility," the source added.

"We had our flight tickets booked and the hotel accommodation was also arranged, but we just couldn't risk our players' safety when the country is in a state of mourning." The club sought clarity on the issue from the Asian Football Federation, the game's continental body.

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Mohun Bagan Super Giant were slated to face Tractor FC in their second game of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League 2 at the Yadegar-e Emam Stadium in Iran's Tabriz.

In their first match of Group A, Mohun Bagan Super Giant had played out a goalless draw against Tajikistan's FC Ravshan. Tractor FC lead the standings following a 3-0 win over Qatar's Al-Wakrah SC.