“I usually choose a corner during penalties and throw myself to that side. Before the Napoli match, I had analyzed two players, but Rasmus Hojlund was not among them. So I had to make a quick, instinctive decision.”
These are the words of Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski, speaking about his penalty save in the Champions League group-stage match in Italy, where his team lost 0–2 to Napoli.
Despite his impressive performance in Naples, the Polish goalkeeper admitted he was disappointed with the defeat.
“After the match, I couldn’t sleep because we immediately flew back to Baku. We still have three games ahead. I believe we are capable of reaching the play-offs,” he told AZERTAC.
The 25-year-old player said that Qarabag is a symbol of national pride for the people of Azerbaijan: “The current squad was mainly built for the Champions League. But we are also performing well in the domestic league, as always. At the start of the season, no one could have imagined we would achieve such results in the Champions League.”
It should be noted that Kochalski has played 15 matches for Qarabag this season, conceding 18 goals and keeping 5 clean sheets. His contract with the Aghdam club runs until the summer of 2027.
