SAITAMA, Japan (AFP) - Urawa Reds coach Holger Osieck believes his injury-hit side and Iran's Sepahan are evenly balanced and predicted a tough fight in their AFC Champions League title showdown Wednesday.

The two sides battled to a 1-1 draw in Iran a week ago in the first leg of the final.

"Wednesday will be the real final. And for a real final, there is no such thing as an advantage," the German coach said. "I believe both sides have a chance."

But Luka Bonacic, who has guided Sepahan's giant-killing run, said: "I believe Urawa have a slight advantage playing at home."

A scoreless draw will be enough for the Japanese team, the J-League and Emperor's Cup holders, to emerge victorious courtesy of their away goal.

"We are not scared about playing against pressure from more than 60,000 Urawa supporters. We have played at a stadium of 100,000 in Iran," said the Croatian coach.

Both Urawa and Sepahan are seeking to become the first club from their countries to clinch the Asian title since the continental championship was expanded into its current format in 2003.

Osieck praised the opponents as "very much organised in tactical terms."

He again brushed aside fresh injury worries following Urawa's 1-1 draw with Kawasaki Frontale in a domestic game on Sunday when they moved closer to a second straight Japanese premier league crown.

"Fortunately, all the players look pretty good. Definitely, everybody is ready to play tomorrow," the coach said.

On Sunday, Brazilian striker Washington was elbowed in the nose, which was broken in a J-League match last month, while utility player Yuki Abe, who plays centre back for Japan, pulled out with hip pain.

Forward Yuchiro Nagai is also struggling after hurting his buttocks.

Captain Nobuhisa Yamada and former Feyenoord playmaker Shinjo Ono remain on the injury list but Brazilian-born centre back Marcus Tulio Tanaka, sidelined from the first leg, will return to action.

Abe said: "I am the kind who plays in spite of pain. I won't die however hard I play. I am determined because there are too many on the injury list."

Osieck played down fatigue from Urawa's overcrowded schedule, with another J-League game this weekend.

"If you really want to achieve something great, you got to be ready to endure a lot of hardship," he said.

Sepahan were held to a scoreless draw on the road by Japan's Kawasaki Frontale in the quarter-finals and by Saudi side Al Wahda in the semi-finals.

"But we've got better in the last three weeks," Bonacic said, citing Iraqi international forward Emad Ridha (Mohammed).

"He has gone up in form. I hope we'll play better tomorrow."

Urawa, playing in their first AFC Champions League campaign, have not lost a match with four wins and seven draws, beating defending champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors of South Korea 4-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

Sepahan, who faded in the group stage in 2004 and 2005, have scored five wins and five draws against one loss.

Jubilo Iwata were the last Japanese team to win the Asian club championship in 1999 while Iran have been without the title since 1993 when PAS triumphed.