TEHRAN - Esteghlal head coach Ricardo Sa Pinto has officially confirmed that the club’s controversial player, Ramin Rezaeian, will part ways with the team during the midseason break.

Speaking at a press conference after Esteghlal’s match against Gol Gohar on Sunday night, Sa Pinto addressed Rezaeian’s absence from the 18-man squad in the team’s last two matches.

Rezaeian was left out of the squad for both the AFC Champions League Two match against Al-Muharraq and Sunday night’s league game against Gol Gohar.

“Ramin spoke with me this week. I have a very good relationship with him and I like him. He asked to leave the team so he could increase his chances of reaching the national team, but I wanted him to stay in Esteghlal,” the Portuguese coach said.
“He has made this decision himself, and these are his final days at Esteghlal. That’s why he is not part of the team. We couldn’t say no to him. It’s fair to give him this opportunity so he can be happy and have a chance to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Sa Pinto said.