football360 - TEHRAN, This football season, Persepolis truly achieved “nothing.”

According to Football 360, the 30th and final week of the Persian Gulf Pro League concluded with Persepolis facing relegated Havadar at Azadi Stadium, winning 2-0. Under normal circumstances, this win could have salvaged their rollercoaster season—but it ultimately meant nothing. In a simultaneous match, Sepahan defeated Esteghlal 3-1 in Isfahan, securing second place in the league standings. As a result, after Tractor won the championship and secured a direct spot in the AFC Elite League, it was Sepahan—thanks to a better head-to-head record despite having equal points with Persepolis—who claimed the playoff spot for the Elite League.

“Nothing” for Persepolis
Thus, Persepolis finished the season as a complete failure. Their strange season began with the AFC Elite League, where they failed to even reach the quarterfinals, much to the shock of their fans. Meanwhile, even a struggling Esteghlal managed to advance past the group stage, while Persepolis experienced an early exit.

This elimination wasn’t the only disaster. In the Hazfi Cup, they met a similar fate, being knocked out midway through the tournament by Sepahan. In the league, poor performances and dropped points removed them from the title race, allowing Tractor to clinch the championship with two weeks remaining and leaving Persepolis with no hope of reclaiming the title.

Even the Playoff Spot Slipped Away!
Persepolis's last hope was in the final week’s matches. They were hoping Sepahan would drop points against Esteghlal, which—if Persepolis beat Havadar—would allow them to qualify for the AFC Elite League playoffs. Although they managed a hard-fought win in the final minutes, Sepahan crushed any remaining dreams by sealing the deal at home. The last shred of hope vanished, and the reigning champions—once regarded as Iran’s best Asian representative over several seasons—ended the 2024 season truly empty-handed.

Darvish’s Controversial Record and Kartal’s Tactical Limitations
Persepolis had a turbulent season. A club that had grown accustomed to success through recent years of relative stability gradually drifted away from that foundation. Much of this disarray is attributed to the management of Reza Darvish: from failing to support Yahya Golmohammadi, to losing Osmar, to the controversial appointment of Juan Carlos Garrido, his dismissal, and the costly hiring of Turkish coach Ismail Kartal.

Kartal, when expected to turn the season around, blamed the illness of several players for his shortcomings. To save the season, he needed to beat Sepahan in their six-point clash in the league, but his tactical knowledge proved insufficient. In the end, fans turned to the root cause of the team’s collapse and chanted protests against Reza Darvish, the current club president. The key question remains: if Garrido had stayed, and the club hadn't spent $2.2 million over one and a half seasons on Kartal—who brought little change—could Persepolis really have done worse than this?