"The team gave it their all."
Azerbaijan champion Qarabag head coach Gurban Gurbanov spoke during the post-match press conference following the 7th-round UEFA Europa League game against Romania’s Steaua Bucharest.
Idman.biz reports that speaking about the 2:3 defeat, the experienced coach said:
"Thank you for standing by us throughout these games. Although we lost, the fans remained supportive. There's not much to say about the game. Congratulations to Steaua Bucharest – they were highly motivated. We could have won, but it seems we made some mistakes. Unfortunately, the losing streak continues this time as well."
- On Fabian Buntic’s Performance
- Since Kochalski was injured, I gave Buntic a chance, and I don’t regret the decision. Even after reviewing the goals, I saw they were tough to save. I wouldn’t blame him for the result.
- What can you say on Steaua Bucharest?
- They are a positive and result-oriented team. Playing against them is different from facing clubs like Ajax or Lyon. Despite being our opponents, I wish Steaua Bucharest success.
- Do you believe in luck?
- Perhaps I believed in luck more when I first started coaching. Back then, I hoped fortune would favor us. However, I now believe hard work is necessary to achieve results. Luck alone doesn’t resonate with me as much anymore.
- On Missing Juninho and Future Plans:
- Even with players like Juninho, there are times we lose. While his absence was felt, he’s also missed chances in the past. Regarding Aleksey Kashuk’s missed opportunity, it was a fast-paced attack. I trust he will capitalize on such moments in the future. As for strengthening the team, I aim to recruit a few players. However, it’s challenging in the winter transfer window. We’ll focus on this in the coming months.
- Could the Europa League results impact domestic matches psychologically?
- Such results can lead to morale issues. However, we still have a game left against Olympiacos, and we aim for a positive result. While our players might feel a psychological dip in Premier League matches, I believe we can overcome it in time.
- Did any Steaua Bucharest player particularly catch your attention?
- There were players who caught my attention, but I won’t name them. Overall, their team impressed me collectively, with standout players in every line. Steaua Bucharest prioritizes teamwork, as I mentioned earlier.
- On Leandro Andrade’s Position...
- Andrade scored today as a playmaker. If he were left-footed, I’d always play him on the right wing. He stands out among the players, and I believe we’re utilizing his potential effectively."
- Did the Europa League format changes contribute to the poor results?
- I don’t want to blame the format for our results. We had excellent preparation in Austria, which reflected in our early games. However, later matches didn’t yield the results we expected. Over time, we’ve gained more experience, even against strong opponents like Dinamo. Although we’ve become more daring in our play, our skill level might fall short against top-tier teams. In this match, for example, we conceded three goals from three corner kicks. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t attribute our struggles solely to the format.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
