When Budgets Bite: Iraq’s Police Face a Goliath in Asia’s Elite Showdown
20 October 2025
Match context
In Baghdad on Monday, Iraqi Police FC coach Momen Suleiman spoke after a 4-1 loss to Saudi side Al Ittihad in the third round of the Western group of the Elite division of the AFC Champions League.
Police had taken an early lead through Bassam Shaker but conceded four goals despite Al Ittihad being reduced to 10 men when Danilo Pereira was sent off in the 50th minute.
Al Ittihad drew level when Moussa Diaby found the net for the visitors in the 17th minute, followed by a second goal from Fabinho in the 29th. Algerian Hossem Awar then struck twice, in the 50th and 76th minutes, sealing the win.
Budgets and performance
Momen Suleiman said he was proud of his players and believes they are among the best in the world, expressing full faith in their abilities.
He added that there is a vast financial gap between the two clubs, noting the disparity between a player valued at 100 million dollars and one worth 100 thousand dollars.
He asserted that Police’s budget is roughly a quarter of a single Al Ittihad player, yet his team still competed bravely and created threats against the opponent’s goal.
He stressed that the team is proud of its performance and that the result does not fully reflect the on-field dynamics of the match, which was competitive and featuring several attacking chances.
Current standing and future plans
Police sit eleventh and second from bottom in the Western group of the Elite AFC Champions League, with only one point from three games.
So far the Iraqi side has drawn with Qatar’s Al Sadd and lost to Qatar’s Al Arabi counterpart Al Gharafa in the group stage actions.
The competition format requires each team to play four home and four away games, with the top eight teams advancing to knockout rounds to determine four West representatives in the quarterfinals alongside the East block.
Referee and decisions
The match featured controversy as Emirati referee Omar Al Ali showed a red card to Danilo Pereira after a second yellow, and a goal by Police was disallowed in the 78th minute. There was still debate about a shot by Senegalese player Mendy crossing the line, but Suleiman did not comment on the officiating, choosing to focus on tactics and preparation instead.
Upcoming commitments
The Police have closed the book on this defeat and are looking to realign ahead of upcoming ties both locally in the Iraqi Premier League and continentally in AFC competition, including a match against Tractor in Iran on November 3 and a clash with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia on November 25.
The schedule later features Al Ahli Saudi FC on December 22 in Riyadh, Nasaf in February, and Al Duhail in Iraq later in February, as Police strive to regain balance between domestic and Asian challenges.
Policing the line between league duties and continental pursuits remains the priority, even as past success last season in the Iraqi Premier League motivates fans to hope for European-level performance again. Police also aim to extend a positive domestic run while navigating heavy continental expectations this season.
Historically, Police last tasted AFC Champions League Elite victory against Al Ain of the UAE on February 17 last year in the league finale, but this edition has been tougher thus far.
Humor break: budget-wise, we are so tight that our payroll comes with a risk assessment for inflation. Punchline time: if money were bullets, our ammo would be blanks—great for dramatic effect, zero damage. Another line: our defense is so budget-conscious that the back line carries a calculator to count how many zeros are left on the payroll before clearing the ball. Good news: the penalty shootout is still on the table, and the punchlines are free range for the fans.
