According to the official media of Tractor Club, Mehrdad Khanban stated in the pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Al Gharafa of Qatar:

“As we mentioned before, our qualification to the next stage has already been secured. However, we have an important match ahead of us. We have great respect for Al Gharafa. They have achieved good results in their domestic league. A victory in this match could allow us to face a more favorable opponent in the next round and make our path toward the later stages smoother.”

Regarding the absence of Dragan Skočić from the press conference, Khanban explained:

“There are certain matters regarding this issue, and the club will provide clarification if necessary.”

Speaking about Tractor’s preparation for the match, Khanban said:

“After our match against Al Sadd, which was a respectable and solid performance and where we did not deserve to lose by two goals, we had a good recovery period and are fully prepared for tomorrow’s game. It is a very important match, and we hope to achieve a positive result to secure a better opponent in the next stage.”

On the team’s injured players, he added:

“For tomorrow’s match, we will be without Sadegh Moharrami. Two other players are currently undergoing medical evaluations, and after training it will be determined whether they can play tomorrow.”

In response to a question about whether the team would use its strongest lineup despite having already qualified, Khanban stated:

“As I said, we have a serious and important match against Al Gharafa. We will play with full strength and our main lineup. We will compete with maximum effort and full respect for the AFC Champions League Elite, and we will fight to maintain our position in the standings.”

Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, the team’s forward, also said during the press conference:

“First of all, I would like to express my condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in the recent events in our country. We share in their sorrow. Although we have secured qualification from a standings perspective, that does not mean tomorrow’s match is unimportant for us. It is crucial to determine our final position in the table and whom we will face in the next round. We will aim to leave the pitch with three points, and we have great respect for our opponent.”

He continued:

“Al Gharafa is one of the top teams in the Qatari league and has achieved very good results. I hope it will be a good match.”

Regarding the difference in the two teams’ positions in the AFC Champions League Elite standings, Hosseinzadeh said:

“As I mentioned, Al Gharafa is a strong team and considered one of the top sides in the star-studded Qatari league. Asian competitions are always different in terms of conditions and motivation. Perhaps at times we have been fortunate and Al Gharafa unfortunate, which is why we are currently higher in the table. However, both teams are of high quality. I hope it will be an exciting match, and whichever team deserves it more will earn the three points.”

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Khanban: We will play against Al-Gharafa with full strength

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