Vieira confident but cautious

AFCL - After going all the way to the final last year, Iranian side Sepahan are aiming to go one better as they open their 2008 ACL campaign on home soil against Syria's Al Ittihad on Wednesday.

Having qualified for this year's tournament after winning the Hazfi Cup last season, the Esfahan side will be looking to build on their impressive performance in the AFC Champions League last year when they became the first Iranian side to reach the final, where they were beaten 3-1 on aggregate by Japanese side Urawa Reds.

Currently lying second in the Iranian Premier League, one point behind leaders Persepolis, the 'Yellows' have a largely unchanged squad although there has been a significant alteration at the helm of the team since their loss to Urawa.

Croat coach Luka Bonacic left the club in January for the United Arab Emirates league side Al Nasr and has been replaced by Brazilian Jorvan Vieira, the architect of Iraq's extraordinary Asian Cup success last summer.

Vieira joined the club at the beginning of February and has had an unremarkable start, winning one and losing one of his first five matches.

But the Brazilian's start has not been made easy by the ban on home fans at Foolad Shahr Stadium following crowd violence in a match against Persepolis which resulted in the partial blinding of a soldier.

Sepahan were docked three points and had to play four home games behind closed doors.

Vieira is not expecting to perform miracles and wants to take things one game at a time.

"I am not a magician who can change things in an instant," the Brazilian said. "I've only lost one match, and that was behind closed doors.

"We were runners-up in Asia and so the players will play with a lot of self confidence. We are only interested in starting this season's competition with a win."

Sepahan will be without influential but injury-prone captain Moharram Navidkia who has yet to recover from a leg injury which reduced him to being a peripheral figure at the Club World Cup in December.

Their opponents should be in buoyant mood after thrashing Al Futowa 4-0 in their last Syrian league match, taking them up to second in the table.

Al Ittihad arrived on Monday in Esfahan and have concerns over defender Bakri Tarrab and striker Abdulfatah Al Agha, who are nursing slight knocks.

But while defenders Wael Ayan and Yousef Chikhal Eshra missed the match against Al Futowa along with Cameroonian striker Otobong Otudor and midfielder Obada Al Said due to injuries, they have all travelled with the team to Esfahan.

"We have recently followed the performance of Sepahan and they are one of the top teams especially that they were the runners-up of the competition last year," said the club's Romanian coach Tito Valero.

"We must be cautious in the game as they have several key players who can settle the match.

"Our aim is to get back to Syria with a good result and hopefully the players will give all they can."