Former striker of both Zira and Hajduk Split, Ruslan Gurbanov, shared his thoughts with Sportal.az ahead of the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier between the two clubs.
– What have you been up to since your time at Hypers Guba?
– I’ve been enjoying life, mostly spending time exploring Baku. To be honest, I’m not really thinking about playing anymore. I think it’s enough. I’ve just moved to Russia, but I’ll definitely miss Baku and plan to return.
– Zira and Hajduk are set to face off in the Conference League qualifiers. Was the draw interesting for you personally?
– Yes, I noticed that “Zira” drew Hajduk. Rashad Sadygov has built a solid squad, and I’m sure new signings will join soon. Hajduk has always been a strong team. The atmosphere at the stadium in Split will be absolutely electric. I wish both teams good luck – but of course, I’ll be supporting Zira.
– How realistic are Zira’s chances of eliminating Hajduk?
– Anything is possible in football. Hajduk is not an easy opponent – they have talented players. It’ll be a tough challenge for Zira. But if they do everything right, why not?
– What’s your take on Hajduk today? They now have players like Marko Livaja and Ivan Rakitić.
– To be honest, I haven’t followed Hajduk’s matches for a while. But I know Gennaro Gattuso was their head coach and they signed Rakitic. They also have strong local talents. Overall, it’s a tough draw for Zira.
– Would you consider it a surprise if Zira beat Hajduk?
– I’d be very happy if they did. I sincerely hope Zira can make Azerbaijan proud.
– How do you remember your time at Hajduk? You didn’t get much playing time there.
– It was chaotic. I had three different coaches in a very short period. Each had their own philosophy. The third coach finally gave me a chance, but I played only two games before he was replaced. Four coaches in one month! Still, I’m grateful I had the chance to play for such a historic club. That opportunity came thanks to Robert Prosinecki, and I’ll always be thankful to him. I wish him good health and all the best.
Idman.biz
