Artim Sakiri, the former Qarabag player, shared his thoughts in an interview with Sportal.az.
According to Idman.biz, the legend of North Macedonian football assessed the chances of the Azerbaijani champion, Qarabag, in their upcoming match against Lyon in the 5th round of the UEFA Europa League.
- Qarabag will face Lyon today. How do you evaluate the chances of the Azerbaijani champions in this match?
- I think Qarabag has a very good chance to defeat Lyon today. But of course, it will depend on the players who will take the field. It will be a very difficult and tough match, because Lyon is a very strong team. However, I trust Qarabag a lot.
- Qarabag won their previous match against Bodo/Glimt. That victory must have given them a great motivation, right?
- Qarabag is also performing well in the Premier League. They won in European competitions too. I think there is no problem with their motivation. Qarabag has been performing very successfully in the Azerbaijan Premier League and, as a result, has been champions for many years.
- Qarabag's key players, Marko Vesovic, has fully recovered from his injury, and Julio Romao, who was suspended in the last match, will be available. How much did Vesovic's absence affect the previous European games?
- Every club always has more than 25 players to help the team at any time and in any position. Qarabag also has a decent number of players. It's true that they have many key players, but there are also players in the squad who can rotate and step in when needed.
- The Azerbaijani champions are just one point away from the "top 24" playoff spots. Do you believe they can make it to the next stage?
- The team is currently in 29th place, but I believe Qarabag can make it to the playoffs. They have the strength to do so. They were unlucky in the early rounds, which left them without points, but I hope Qarabag will achieve good results in the upcoming matches.
- Did Qarabag struggle to adapt to the new format of the Europa League, or has it been more successful?
- It’s been difficult not just for Qarabag, but for all teams to adapt to the new format. This is understandable, as they have switched to a new format after many years. In any case, I hope everything will be fine. I believe Qarabag will collect points and make a successful run in the competition.
Idman.biz
