Lekhwiya and Persepolis officials display team jerseys ahead of their AFC Champions League Round of 16 clash.
A close contest is expected when Persepolis take on Lekhwiya in the first leg of the 2017 AFC Champions League Round of 16 at Azadi Stadium today as the sides go head to head for the first time since 2015.
Persepolis advanced to the knockout round following a tense Match day Six in Group D as Mehdi Taremi bagged a hat-trick in a 4-2 victory over Al Wahda to secure the second spot.
There were no such worries for Lekhwiya, though, as the unbeaten Qatari team strolled through on top of Group B.
The two sides last faced off in the group stage in 2015, when Persepolis played out a 3-0 win at home, only for Lekhwiya to gain revenge with the same scoreline in the return fixture.
Influential midfielder Karim Boudiaf returns from suspension for the Qatar Stars League champions, but Almoez Ali misses out after he picked up a booking in the 4-1 victory over Al Fateh two weeks ago.
