TEHRAN – Ismail Kartal, head coach of the Persepolis football team, has expressed their determination to win the title by the end of the season.

Following a 2-1 victory over their archrivals Esteghlal in the Tehran derby on Thursday, Persepolis have narrowed the gap with top teams Tractor and Sepahan at the 2024/25 Iran Persian Gulf Professional League.

Kartal, who was appointed as Persepolis coach two months ago, had previously stated that the team are focused on winning the title next season, a comment that sparked frustration among fans.

“We have had a busy schedule over the past months, and I need to spend more time with my team. We want the championship this season and next, and we’re working hard for it,” Kartal said at a press conference.

“A great club must have great facilities. Footballers need to be comfortable. To build a strong team and develop players, we need two fields like Azadi Stadium. Unfortunately, Persepolis lack good facilities compared to those of Foolad,” he added.

“We aim to showcase beautiful football. I used to follow Iranian football, and now I understand it better. My players are eager to learn, which makes me happy. Ultimately, we want to bring joy to our fans, and our style of play achieves that. I want to win all possible trophies with Persepolis.

“Right now, we’re not thinking about next season; we are focused on the current season to become champions. I’ll have more time to spend with the players and discuss next season. I need time to build a good team.

“In Turkey, the training fields and stadiums are of much higher quality than in Iran. There’s no significant difference between Turkey and Iran; both countries are similar. If facilities improve, Iran will surpass Turkey.

“At the end of the season, I want to present the championship as a gift to the fans,” Kartal concluded.