Cristiano Ronaldo travels to Iran with his club. Image: AFP
Saudi Arabia and Iran are getting closer. Both states use football for their own interests. That’s why Ronaldo and Co. can enjoy a special privilege during their visit, which is denied to the general public.
Something is happening in the Middle East. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are getting closer. Now what was impossible for years should be possible: normal football games. National and club teams from both countries should compete against each other in home and away games without having to switch to a neutral third country to host them.
According to the plan, Al-Nassr from Riyadh will travel to Tehran on September 19 to play against FC Persepolis in the Asian Champions League. Normalization of relations is what diplomats call it. But normal is a very relative term, especially in this context.
