Asian Champions League clash called off after Saudis refuse to take to pitch over controversial statue 

Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been strained and this year's Asian Champions League is the first since 2016 in which clubs from both nations have been permitted to play one another home and away.

A picture obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim shows a bust of slain Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani on the pitch at the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium in Isfahan

Al-Ittihad's Asian Champions League match with Iran's Sepahan was called off Monday after the Saudi team refused to leave their dressing-room due to a statue of an assassinated Iranian general being placed at the entrance to the pitch.

The game was postponed by officials at the Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium in Isfahan, where around 60,000 fans had turned out to see Sepahan take on an Al-Ittihad starting line-up that was due to include former Premier League stars Ngolo Kante and Fabinho.