Etihad has managed to sign a number of championship caliber players, including Benschmar, Nicolajandi and Fabinho, who all won the UEFA Champions League in Europe, and will be hoping to do the same thing in Asia, which is to win the AFC Champions League.
My first impression of Etihad is that the midfield is strong, so it will be difficult for their opponents to get much time of possession in front of Jandy and Fabinho.
Up front, I expect Penschmar to score goals and he is also a player who can improve the performance of his teammates. Two players who have benefited from Binschmar's arrival are Romano Leno and Hamdana, who have scored multiple goals in the AFC Champions League over the years and are expected to take their performances to the next level.
In fact, they still maintain their regular position after several stars joined the team, reflecting the fact that they are still the key men for Etihad to hit the 3rd AFC Champions League title.
Having played for FC Seoul in Korea, I know that visiting Iran is always going to be difficult, the local fans are passionate and the atmosphere is very hot, so it's not going to be a comfortable environment for Etihad to play in.
Shabahan may not have as many star players as Etihad, but they have a team of experienced players. Leshayan is a very good attacking right winger who has played in two World Cups in the past, including scoring against Wales in last year's World Cup in Qatar, so he is a big threat when the team is attacking. Core player Amadi Shad has played for Persepolis in the AFC Champions League before and performed well, and Monk Hanlan's goal tally is also quite good, so Shabahan's attacking ability is really quite quality.
