2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League


The 2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League was the 35th season of Iran's Football League and 17th as Persian Gulf Pro League since its establishment in 2001. Persepolis were the defending champions. The season featured 14 teams from the 2016–17 Persian Gulf Pro League and two new teams promoted from the 2016–17 Azadegan League: Pars Jonoubi Jam as champions and Sepidrood. The league started on 27 July 2017 and ended on 27 April 2018. Persepolis won the Pro League title for the fourth time in their history, a total 11th Iranian title.

Teams

Stadia and locations

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
EsteghlalTehranAzadi78,116
Esteghlal KhuzestanAhvazGhadir38,900
FooladAhvazGhadir38,900
GostareshTabrizBonyan Diesel12,000
Naft TehranTehranTakhti Tehran30,122
PadidehMashhadSamen
Imam Reza
35,000
25,000
Pars Jonoubi JamJamTakhti Jam15,000
PaykanShahr-e QodsShohada Shahr-e Qods25,000
PersepolisTehranAzadi78,116
SaipaTehranShahid Dastgerdi8,250
Sanat NaftAbadanTakhti Abadan8,000
SepahanIsfahanNaghsh-e-Jahan75,000
SepidroodRashtDr. Azodi
Sardar Jangal
11,000
15,000
Siah JameganMashhadSamen
Imam Reza
35,000
25,000
Tractor SaziTabrizSahand66,833
Zob AhanFuladshahrFoolad Shahr15,000

Number of teams by region

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturer
Esteghlal Winfried Schäfer Mehdi Rahmati Li-Ning
Est. Khuzestan Abdollah Veisi Meysam Doraghi Start
Foolad Sirous Pourmousavi Ayoub Vali Uhlsport
Gostaresh Firouz Karimi Andranik Teymourian Merooj
Naft Talaieh Human Afazeli Alireza Ezzati Uhlsport
Padideh Mohammad Reza Mohajeri Reza Nasehi Fitcom
Pars Jonoubi Jam Mehdi Tartar Meysam Naghizadeh Merooj
Paykan Majid Jalali Rahman Ahmadi Yousef Jame
Persepolis Branko Ivanković Jalal Hosseini Joma
Saipa Ali Daei Roozbeh Shahalidoost Start
Sanat Naft Faraz Kamalvand Hossein Baghlani Merooj
Sepahan Mansour Ebrahimzadeh Hossein Papi Peak
Sepidrood Ali Karimi Hossein Kaebi Yousef Jame
Siah Jamegan Davoud Mahabadi Hossein Badamaki Start
Tractor Sazi Ertuğrul Sağlam Mehdi Kiani Li-Ning
Zob Ahan Amir Ghalenoei Mehdi Rajabzadeh Merooj

Managerial changes

Foreign players

The number of foreign players is restricted to four per Persian Gulf Pro League team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team can use four foreign players on the field in each game, including at least one player from the AFC country.
ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Asian Player
Esteghlal Leandro Padovani Bojan Najdenov Mame Baba Thiam Server Djeparov
Esteghlal Khuzestan Claudir Moussa Coulibaly
Foolad
Gostaresh Fernando Jesus Edson Henrique
Naft Talaieh
Padideh
Pars Jonoubi Jam
Paykan Kenneth Ikechukwu Arfang Daffé
Persepolis Božidar Radošević Godwin Mensha Bashar Resan
Saipa Aloys Nong Samuel Sarfo
Sanat Naft Augusto César Luciano Pereira Magno Batista Karrar Jassim
Sepahan Edon Hasani Ibrahim Alma Marwan Hussein
Sepidrood
Siah Jamegan
Tractor Sazi Sulejman Krpić Jordi Almeida Šime Gregov
Zob Ahan Kiros Stanlley Giorgi Gvelesiani Rabih Ataya

League table

Results

Positions by round

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Ali AlipourPersepolis19
2 Morteza TabriziZob Ahan13
3 Luciano PereiraSanat Naft12
4 Sasan AnsariSepahan11
4 Mohammad GhaziPadideh11
6 Mehdi TorabiSaipa10
7 Kiros StanlleyZob Ahan9
8 Issa AlekasirNaft Tehran8
8 Reza KhaleghifarGoustaresh Foulad8
10 Jalaleddin AlimohammadiSepahan7
10 Ali GhorbaniEsteghlal7
10 Karrar JassimSanat Naft7
10 Rahim ZahiviFoolad7

Hat-tricks

PlayerClubAgainstResultDate
Morteza TabriziZob AhanEsteghlal Khuzestan6–0 15 9 2017
Saman Nariman JahanGostaresh FouladSaipa3–1 30 11 2017
Mohsen KarimiEsteghlalSanat Naft4–0 24 12 2017

Top assists

RankPlayerClubAssists
1 Mohsen MosalmanPersepolis10
2 Vahid AmiriPersepolis7
2 Mehdi TorabiSaipa7
4 Rabih AtayaZob Ahan5
4 Farshid EsmaeiliEsteghlal5
4 Ali GholizadehSaipa5
4 Mohammad Reza HosseiniZob Ahan5
4 Mehdi MehdipourZob Ahan / Tractor Sazi5

Last updated: 13 Oct 2017
Source:

Clean Sheets

RankPlayerClubClean Sheets
1 Alireza BeiranvandPersepolis17
2 Mohammad Rashid MazaheriZob Ahan12
3 Hossein HosseiniEsteghlal10
3 Fernando JesusGostaresh Foulad10
5 Mohsen ForouzanPars Jonoubi9
5 Payam NiazmandPaykan9
7 Hamed FallahzadehSaipa8
7 Saeid Jalali RadPadideh8
7 Vahid SheikhveisiEst. Khuzestan8

Scoring

Attendances

Average home attendances

Attendances by round

Notes:
Updated to games played on 27 April 2018. Source:
Matches with spectator bans are not included in average attendances
Gostaresh played their match against Pars Jonoubi Jam at Sahand
Saipa played their matches against Esteghlal and Persepolis at Takhti Tehran
Zob Ahan played their matches against Foolad, Naft Tehran, Pars Jonoubi Jam, Paykan, Sanat Naft and Siah Jamegan at Naghsh-e Jahan

Highest attendances

Notes:
Updated to games played on 27 April 2018. Source:

Awards

[Iran [Football League Organization|IFLO]] Seasonal awards

[Navad] Monthly awards