The two teams are familiar foes, having met as recent as in the 2019 AFC Cup Group Stage and having also crossed paths in the 2018 AFC Champions League Preliminary Stage, with Ceres Negros emerging victors in a 4-3 penalty shoot-out after that game ended 1-1 in regulation time.

Golmohammadi, 49, takes charge of the Tehran giants from Shahr Khodro.

It will be Golmohammadi's second stint with Persepolis and he takes charge of a team who lead the Iranian Pro League by three points.

The 21-year-old player will join the six-time league champions as the Asian player to replace Iraq international forward Mohanad Ali, who will be loaned out five months after joining the team.

A star for the club during his glittering playing career, Majidi’s appointment comes after former Inter Milan and Udinese manager Andrea Stramaccioni stepped down from the top job on December 9.

The door had seemingly been left ajar for Stramaccioni to return to the role, but Esteghlal confirmed the Italian’s departure was permanent last week, with Majidi subsequently signing a one-and-a-half-year deal with the two-time Asian champions.

Majidi takes the job on a full-time basis having briefly held the reins at Esteghlal on a caretaker basis after the departure of German boss Winfried Schaefer last April.

The star-studded club took the lead off an own goal by Kashima defender Tomoya Inukai in the 18th minute, then doubled the advantage when the ball ricocheted into the net off striker Noriaki Fujimoto 20 minutes later.

Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal, who defeated Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan to lift the 2019 title after runners-up finishes in 2014 and 2017, will have Shabab Al Ahli Dubai (UAE), Pakhtakor (UZB) and the winner of a play-off for company.