TEHRAN – Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Ferreira says that to book a place in the final match of the 2018 AFC Champions League is like a dream for them.

Al Sadd will host Persepolis in the first leg of the AFC Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.

“In the match with Persepolis, we should be wary of conceding a goal in our home match. We know that how strong Persepolis are. Our goal is to defeat Persepolis with many goals as well as not conceding a goal. We know that Al Sadd will have a difficult task in the second leg in Tehran,” Ferreira said in the pre-match news conference.

“We played Persepolis twice in the group stage but we know that they are a better team at the moment. To book a place in the final match is like a dream for us,” the Portuguese coach added.

Al Sadd and Persepolis met in the AFC Champions League for the very first time in this year’s group stages.  Both sides won their respective home games.

Al Sadd have reached the AFC Champions League semi-finals for the second time after 2011, when they eventually went on to win the competition.

Persepolis have reached the semi-finals for the second time in their history and the second time in a row after 2017.