Daniel Esmaeili Far, defender of the Tractor football team, expressed dissatisfaction with his team's travel conditions to Oman in a press conference before the match on Monday, October 20, 2026, criticizing the planning that had taken place. He specifically mentioned the long travel route and stated that team members would have preferred to host Al-Shamal in Tabriz in front of their fans.
Tractor's Travel Issues
Esmaeili Far compared the long travel route to a walking journey, and this matter has received significant media coverage. He also emphasized that Tractor players have had to endure pressures beyond the natural issues of professional football. According to this player, if there had been more cooperation from the responsible authorities, the Tractor caravan could have arrived at the match location under better conditions.
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18-Hour Journey to Oman
The Tractor caravan traveled from Tabriz to Najaf, Iraq, on the morning of Saturday, October 18, and then took a bus to Baghdad before flying from Baghdad to Muscat. Hojjat Karimi, the CEO of Tractor, announced that the travel time was close to 16 hours, and the club's official media reported that the caravan arrived at their hotel after about 18 hours. He also mentioned the difficulties in providing proper nutrition and rest opportunities for the players, which could negatively impact their performance in the match.
In the second week of the Asian Elite League, Tractor will face Al-Shamal of Qatar on Monday, October 20, 2026. This match is of great importance due to both teams' failures in the first week. After losing 1-0 to Shabab Al-Ahli of the UAE in their first match, Tractor is now looking to make a comeback. On the other hand, Al-Shamal also ended their first week with a 1-1 draw.
Concerns About Player Injuries
Daniel Esmaeili Far expressed his concern about the increased risk of player injuries. He stated that the team has not had enough time to recover physically after a tough match and will soon participate in another Asian match. This player emphasized that the issues are not limited to fatigue from travel, and players must compete under unequal conditions. He also called for more interaction between the Asian Football Confederation and the Iranian Football Federation.
Considering that Tractor is one of the most popular football teams in Iran, holding the match in Oman has been detrimental to this team, and they will be deprived of their fans' support. This issue is particularly significant in professional football, where the presence of spectators plays an important role. As the host, Tractor must play on neutral ground, and this is one of the main points of Esmaeili Far's protest.
Tractor needs to win this match to improve their situation and earn points in the Asian Elite League, especially since they do not want to go through the first two weeks without a victory.
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