The Esfahan side are second in Group D with four points, leading their visitors on goal difference with both teams two points behind leaders Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia.

Sepahan still have a chance of qualifying for next season’s AFC Champions League, either through winning the Hazfi Cup or finishing in the top three in the Iran Pro League but Taheri insists that they only have one priority.

"We’re thinking about winning this competition and right now we can’t think about the last weeks of the season or the Hazfi Cup. For us, this is more important,” he said.

But the 2007 AFC Champions League runners-up will have their work cut out if they hope to gain three points at Foolad Shahr Stadium as they enter the match without injury-prone captain Moharram Navidkia, regular goalkeeper Abbas Mohammadi and Brazilian forward Armando.

But Taheri is not too worried about Navidkia’s absence and has confidence in his replacement as skipper, defender Hadi Aghili.

"This isn’t the first match that Moharram Navidkia isn’t here.

“Hadi Aghili knows a lot about organising players on the field. He’s a national team player and he’s someone who can guide the other players."

Aghili himself is keen not to see Sepahan exit at the group stage for a second year in a row.

"We don’t want to repeat what happened last season,” he said.

“We were aiming for qualification (to the next round) and winning the competition. But these thoughts led to vanity in the team which led to our elimination.

“We haven’t got that vanity this time and we’re just thinking about winning each match."

Bunyodkor, who reached the semi-finals last season, have travelled to Iran with contrasting form on the domestic and continental fronts.

While they are five points clear at the top of the Uzbek league with maximum points from six games, they have managed only one win so far in Group D.

"Nothing is clear yet and there are still three games left,” said coach Hikmat Ergashev

“We haven’t lost anything so far and we’re still hopeful of qualifying.

"We’ve come to Esfahan to win and I think we have a 50% chance," added Ergashev, who will be relying on former World Player of the Year Rivaldo to unlock Sepahan’s defence as he unlocked that of another Iranian side, Saipa in last season’s quarter finals.

"He’s a player who’s known by most teams and they try to control his play. Rivaldo asks questions of the opposition in many ways and we’ve planned our tactics to make the most of this."