Former goalkeeper of the Azerbaijani national team, Andrey Popovich, originally from Ukraine, gave an interview to Sportal.az.
- The Azerbaijani national team is in the same group as Ukraine in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, along with Iceland. The other team in the group will be the winner of the France-Croatia match. Do you think the draw has been favorable for the Azerbaijani team?
- Yes, I’ve looked at the draw results. Honestly, it’s a strong group. I can’t say if it’s good or bad. Looking at our ranking, we knew we would be in a tough group no matter what. This is still a good group.
- Do you think people in Ukraine view Azerbaijan as a weaker opponent?
- I don’t think the Ukrainian team will underestimate Azerbaijan. My parents and friends have sent messages and talked about the group. I told them that I would really love to play against Ukraine in the Azerbaijani national team.
- What do you think, can the Azerbaijani national team earn points against Ukraine? Is a victory realistic?
- It will be difficult, but anything is possible. It depends on how each team prepares for the match. Time will tell.
- The Azerbaijani national team was relegated from League C to League D in the Nations League. After this setback, do you think the team can achieve good results in the qualifiers?
- I think the players understand that they need to improve the situation themselves. That’s why they will come out with great motivation. I hope the Azerbaijani national team will perform well.
- You probably wouldn’t have wanted one of the opponents to be France, given they beat our team 10-0 in the past. Last year, France won 14-0 against Gibraltar...
- I don’t even know what to say. Of course, I wouldn’t want to lose by such a score. But as a player, I would love to play against France and test my strength against such an opponent. I believe the Azerbaijani national team will fight until the end against every opponent.
- In a match between Azerbaijan and Ukraine, which team would you support?
- It’s hard to say. Both are my home countries. So, I’ll focus on enjoying good football.
Idman.biz
