Qarabag have set a new unwanted record in the Champions League after conceding 30 goals in a single season, the highest total ever recorded in one campaign of the competition, Idman.Biz reports.
The Azerbaijani champions were beaten 3-2 by Newcastle at St James’ Park on Tuesday night in the second leg of their round-of-32 tie, bringing their overall tally of goals conceded in this season’s tournament to 30. That figure surpasses the previous record of 28 and underlines the scale of the defensive struggles they have faced against Europe’s elite.
While the 3-2 scoreline suggested a competitive contest on Tyneside, the damage had largely been done in the first leg in Baku, where Newcastle ran out 6-1 winners. Across the two matches, Eddie Howe’s side scored nine times, meaning nearly a third of Qarabag’s total goals conceded this season came against the Premier League outfit alone.
For Qarabag, who have become regular participants in European competition and a standard-bearer for Azerbaijani football, the campaign was one of contrasts. Reaching the knockout stage represented another milestone, yet the defensive record will inevitably dominate the post-mortem. Against sides operating at a significantly higher tempo and physical intensity, the gulf proved difficult to bridge.
Newcastle, meanwhile, progress with confidence and attacking fluency, having found the net freely over both legs. For Qarabag, the focus now shifts to domestic competition and the lessons learned from a campaign that brought both exposure and an unwanted place in Champions League history.
