Muharraq face Asian test as rulings loom

TDT | Manama

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Muharraq have turned their attention to the AFC Champions League Two after arriving in Turkmenistan yesterday for their Group B opener against FK Arkadag.

The Bahraini champions face the Turkmen side at Arkadag Stadium on Tuesday at 4.45pm, Bahrain time, as they begin their latest continental campaign.

The tournament was rebranded from the AFC Cup to the AFC Champions League Two ahead of the 2024-25 season.

A 24-player travelling squad has been selected for the match, comprising Vladan Dekic, Sayed Mohammed Jaafar, Ashraf Waheed, Husain Jameel, Amine Benaddi, Bruno Santos, Ahmed Bughammar, Ahmed Rabeea, Mohamed Al Banna, Abdulla Al Khalasi, Hasan Al Karrani, Mohamed Al Hardan, Abdulwahab Al Malood, Soufiane Mahrouk, Ahmed Al Sherooqi, Hanan Abdulwahab, Anderson Leite, Arthur Rezende, Rijad Kobiljar, Abdoul Karim Diarra, Facundo Tobares, Husain Abdulkarim, Edimar da Ribeiro da Costa Junior and Abdulla Jamal.

Venezuelan midfielder Bryant Ortega, who recently joined on loan from Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad until the end of the season, was not included on the published squad list.

The Red Wolves enter their continental opener after securing their first Nasser bin Hamad Premier League (NPL) victory of the season, a 3-1 win over Manama on Thursday.

Off-Field Uncertainty

However, the three points could come under review after Al Banna entered as a substitute in the 21st minute despite reportedly not being named on the approved team sheet before kick-off.

With the third round concluding yesterday, the Bahrain Football Association's (BFA) Competitions Committee is expected to examine the incident and determine whether any action is required.

Muharraq have also filed a formal protest alleging that Manama breached competition regulations by fielding eight foreign players in the same match.

Separately, the two-time Asian champions have asked the BFA to clarify the position of Hamad Al Khaldi, chairman of its Legal Affairs and Governance Committee, following his appointment to Al Khaldiya's board.

Having previously nominated Al Khaldi for the committee position, they believe that holding both roles raises concerns over neutrality and a potential conflict of interest. The General Sports Authority has also been notified of the enquiry.

Meanwhile, Bahrain's other continental representatives, Al Khaldiya, begin their Group A campaign against Uzbekistan's Nasaf at Bahrain National Stadium on Wednesday at 7pm.