The score recorded in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round match against Shelbourne (Ireland) will not cause complacency within Qarabag.
This was stated in an interview with Report news agency by Agaselim Mirjavadov, former head coach of the Azerbaijani national team, Idman.biz reports.
The expert, who holds the “Shohrat” Order, did not rule out possible squad rotations for the Aghdam representative in the away match: “I don’t think the result recorded in Dublin will lead to complacency in the return leg for Qarabag. Every player is a professional. I also believe the stadium will be full for the match on July 30. Fans will come to watch the game and enjoy their time. However, some rotation in the lineup is possible. Currently, the team has two players for every position. From what I’ve seen, the team has gone through good preparations. Their physical condition is solid. The only aspects to focus on are attacking, progression, increasing presence in the opponent’s half, and ball retention.”
He noted that Qarabag has undergone strong preparations: “You can feel that Qarabag’s training camp was intense. In some episodes of the first match, the players didn’t handle the ball comfortably. That’s normal, they’ve undergone heavy workloads. But this isn’t just for one game. Such preparation will benefit Qarabag for at least six months. Two new players featured in the lineup. Of course, it’s not right to judge them based on one game, but they seem to understand Qarabag’s style. In yesterday’s match, the defensive midfield was almost non-existent. We’ve seen Kady Borges play behind the forwards or as a winger. But yesterday, he played as the second defensive midfielder. They played normally, the main thing is they scored goals. That boosts the team’s morale and shows which mistakes need to be worked on. Playing in such countries is difficult, as their fans are aggressive. Despite the small stadium, the pitch was in great condition. This shows how much importance is given to football in the UK nations.”
The match in Dublin ended with a 3–0 victory for the Azerbaijani champions. The return leg will take place on July 30 at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, kicking off at 20:00.
Idman.biz
