Former North Macedonian player of Qarabag, Muarem Muarem, speaks to Idman.biz.
- You played for Qarabag for five seasons. Do you still follow their matches?
- Yes, I watch Qarabag matches, both in the Premier League and European tournaments. Although they didn’t start the Europa League strongly, they won their fourth match. Their performance in the Azerbaijani championship is excellent. Qarabag has become an experienced team in Europe, and I support them in their international games. I believe they will achieve good results in their upcoming matches, including the one against Lyon.
- Do you think our team, led by Gurban Gurbanov, can win today's duel?
- Victory against the French team is possible. Qarabag has been competing in the Europa League for a long time, but this stage follows a different format—just one match against each team. That means there’s no chance for a rematch, so they need to be very focused. This setup changes how teams prepare for games. Qarabag has enough quality players, and I believe they can defeat Lyon.
- During your time at Qarabag, you played against France's Saint-Étienne in the Europa League. How do you recall that experience?
- Yes, during my time at Qarabag, we only played against one French club, Saint-Étienne. It was our first Europa League campaign. We drew 0-0 at home and 1-1 away. We played very well in their stadium. Although I didn’t score against the French, I remember scoring in a match against Dnipro. Playing against Saint-Étienne was a valuable experience for both me and the team.
- How do you assess Qarabag’s chances of advancing to the playoffs?
- After three losses, advancing to the playoffs will be difficult. However, Gurban Gurbanov’s team will fight until the end. To improve their chances, they must avoid further defeats.
- You retired as a footballer in 2018. What are you doing now?
- I worked as a head coach. Most recently, I led Gostivar in North Macedonia’s First Division, but we parted ways by mutual agreement early in the season due to some unfavorable situations. I resigned and am currently looking for a new team.
- Would you accept an offer from Azerbaijan?
- I miss Azerbaijan. I played there for five years and have many friends in the country. I also miss Baku. I would love to return to Azerbaijan. I hope an opportunity arises, and I get the chance to work there again.
Emin Aga
Idman.biz
