All foreign members of Esteghlal, whether footballers or other staff, left Iran in the wake of the violent unrest that swept the country. Only Ricardo Sá Pinto, the head coach, remained in the country.

In an interview with CNN Portugal, Nuno Morais, Sá Pinto's assistant, described the return to Portugal, thanked the support of the Portuguese Embassy in the country, and recounted 'small moments of tension' in recent days.