“It’s important to remember that every team qualifies for European competitions through their domestic league or cup, which means they are strong and have quality.”
These were the words of Albert Riera, head coach of Slovenian side Celje, as he spoke about their UEFA Europa League first qualifying round opponent, Sabah FC.
Riera shared his thoughts in an interview with the club’s official website, expressing confidence in his players ahead of the European campaign, Idman.biz reports:
“We’ll face Sabah from Azerbaijan in the first round. Since we still have time before the match, we’ll have the opportunity to analyze them thoroughly. We also know the potential opponent in the second round. Last season, we performed very well against strong sides, so we trust ourselves.”
Celje made headlines last season by reaching the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa Conference League, and Riera emphasized that the club’s ambitions remain high:
“What we achieved last season was fantastic. We made history not only for the club but for Slovenian football. It means a lot to us. But, as I always say—there’s no room for living in the past in football. Every season brings new goals and new motivation. We know who we are, and we fear no opponent. We’ve proven we can compete with anyone.”
Sabah will host Celje in the first leg on July 10, with the return leg to be played a week later in Slovenia.
Idman.biz
