Although Azerbaijan is not a major football country, we have had prominent figures in this sport. Naturally, first to come to mind are our referees, Tofiq Bahramov, the linesman in the 1966 World Cup final, and Eldar Azimzade, who officiated the final of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
So far, these two referees have brought us the greatest achievements in football. In the independence era, only FIFA referee Aliyar Agayev has made us proud. After all, he is the only Azerbaijani referee to have officiated 4 matches in the group and main stages of the Champions League.
Idman.biz presents an interview with Agayev, who has been appointed to international matches since 2013, to Futbolinfo.az.
– How big a role did your father Karim Agayev play in your becoming a referee? Did you choose this path because of him?
– Of course, I learned from him, but I didn’t initially intend to become a referee. I wanted to be a football player and played football for some time. However, due to health problems, I had to end my career early. Since I wanted to stay in football, I chose refereeing. My father never pressured me to become a referee; he simply supported my decision.
– Could you briefly tell us about your football career? Until what age and which team did you play for?
– My football career was very short. I was a member of the “Neftqaz” team. We trained in Surakhani, and our coach was Vagif Agayev, son of Boyukaga Agayev. I only played for this team.
– What caused you to end your career?
– I played until I was 15-16 years old as a defensive midfielder. Then I developed a heart problem, and on top of that, I contracted measles during the summer. The recovery took some time, so I finished my playing career. But my love for football was so strong that I decided to become a referee, which also took about 2 years.
– What advice did your father give you during your difficult journey as a referee?
– Actually, he never told me how hard this job would be; if he had, I might have reconsidered (laughs). He left the decision up to me and simply supported me on this path.
– Imagine your father was not a referee; would you still have pursued this path?
– Yes, I would still become a referee.
– Do you play football with other referees? Who is the best among you?
– We have many good players. For example, from the Premier League referees, I can mention Ali Aliyev and Ravan Hamzazada. Both were professional players, which helps. I would also specially note Akbar Ahmadov.
– Do you play regularly?
– No, we don’t play regularly. Actually, I try not to play much because the risk of injury increases. Also, when you play, you can’t stop and want to be on the field constantly. But the others don’t refuse to play.
– When you play among yourselves, who officiates? Or do you make joint decisions?
– We do it ourselves. Sometimes there are disputes. We understand that refereeing is the hardest job.
– In leading football countries, referees do not all represent different regions. For example, in England, they all live in London; in Germany, mostly in Berlin. How is the situation in Azerbaijan? I mean Premier League referees.
– Unfortunately, we have very few referees from regions. In the Premier League, only Ravan Hamzazada lives outside Baku, he lives in Sheki. There are 37 main and assistant referees in the Premier League, and only Ravan Hamzazada doesn’t live in the capital. Also, Rashad Ahmadov from Mingachevir has moved to Baku. Although there are regional referees in lower leagues, their numbers are small.
– When did you first officiate at international tournaments?
– I became a FIFA referee in 2013. The next year, I was invited to the final stage of the U-17 European Championship held in Malta. Before that, I officiated qualifying matches for the U-17s. My first game there was Estonia vs. Ukraine. My first match in European club competitions was in 2013 between Minsk Dinamo and Lithuania’s Kruoja.
– Since 2014, you have also been appointed to UEFA Youth League matches, including CSKA vs. Bayern, Galatasaray vs. Borussia Dortmund, and even the semifinal Manchester City vs. Barcelona. Which players from those teams, who later became stars, do you remember?
– Honestly, I don’t remember the names. At that time, it’s hard to know who will become stars. But surely, some of them have emerged.
– Do you recall the first red card you issued in international tournaments?
– No, I don’t remember. I would have to think about it...
– One memorable event was officiating the final of the 2016 U-19 European Championship between France and Italy, which France won 4-0. How do you remember that final?
– I was very happy to be appointed to that tournament. There were 6 main referees at the tournament, including Alejandro Hernandez from Spain. There were rumors he would officiate the final. I had high ratings in the group stage and expected a semifinal appointment, but they gave me the final. I was very pleased. The referees there congratulated me and said I deserved it. Kylian Mbappe also played in that final, which was held at the Rhein-Neckar Arena, where Hoffenheim plays. I managed the match very comfortably.
– You have officiated 4 games in the Champions League group and main stages: Copenhagen vs Borussia, Red Star vs Manchester City, Bologna vs Monaco, and Sturm vs Brugge. What stands out from these matches?
– The Champions League main stage is a competition every player and referee wants to participate in. I was very happy to be part of it and felt the whole country was proud. I was very nervous when I was first assigned to the Copenhagen vs Borussia match but managed it at a high level. The matches were interesting.
– Which of these 4 matches left the biggest impression? Any memorable dialogues?
– Each match had interesting moments. For example, I can’t forget the atmosphere created by fans in Copenhagen, which added color to my debut. The same goes for Red Star vs Manchester City in Belgrade; Serbian fans were fantastic. During the break, I had a dialogue with Jack Grealish. He was protesting because an opponent fouled him, I gave a yellow card to the home player, but Grealish kept protesting. We somehow calmed him down. I liked Bologna’s old Renato Dall’Ara stadium. The match there was interesting. The Sturm vs Brugge game was also very good.
– Did you have a dialogue with Josep Guardiola during the Red Star vs Manchester City game?
– He just thanked me after the match. During the game, there were protests, but the fourth official Elchin Masiyev communicated them. There were no serious complaints.
– Have you ever given a red card to a coach in European competitions?
– I don’t remember. But there have been yellow cards.
– How did you get invited to officiate in the Greek championship? You often go there...
– When our committee chairman was Fritz Stuchlik, former referee Kyros Vassaras often came here. I think the initiative came from this former Greek FIFA referee. My first match there was PAOK vs Atromitos. Since then, I have officiated nearly 10 matches in Greece, in both the league and cup. The atmosphere there is interesting but very challenging due to constant pressure.
– It seems clubs or fans don’t trust their referees, so they bring referees from other countries?
– Their referees are good too, they have elite referees. It’s just a system they formed. Clubs might pressure their referees. Sometimes our arrival is a relief for local referees, lifting some burden off them.
– But after one match, Olympiacos protested your officiating and even issued a statement asking why referees were brought from Azerbaijan?!
– Let’s not call it a protest. It was after Olympiacos’ match against AEK. The complaint wasn’t specifically against me. Maybe they expected referees from bigger countries and made that statement. I had officiated several Olympiacos games before with no complaints. Big clubs like to exert pressure.
– You officiated only one game in Egypt, Zamalek vs Al-Ittihad. How did that appointment happen?
– It was an interesting, same-day appointment. We went to Gabala to referee a Premier League match. Upon arrival, AFFA called and said we were flying to Egypt to officiate a cup semifinal. We immediately returned to Baku and flew to Sharm El-Sheikh that night. Azerbaijanis can enter Sharm El-Sheikh visa-free, but need a visa for Cairo, which takes half a day. We explained the situation, and they said no problem. We came to Sharm El-Sheikh, and they helped with the visa for Cairo there. The trip was a great adventure. Football is hugely popular there. After the game, we visited the pyramids, and everyone who saw us recognized us, which was a pleasant surprise.
– When we mention Aliyar Agayev, people recall the 2016 Roma vs Astra match when you gave Francesco Totti a yellow card. Do you remember that incident?
– It was near the end of Totti’s career; we didn’t even expect him to play. Maybe the coach played him because of the opponent. We saw how simple and nice a person Francesco is; he treated us like old friends. He admitted his foul and didn’t protest the yellow card. That card caused some buzz. After that, anyone who saw me reminded me I had given Totti a yellow.
– When invited to international matches, do you study teams and players?
– Definitely! I watch their games throughout the season, analyze goals scored and conceded, fouls, and cards. For example, if a player receives several cards in a season, we pay special attention. We study penalties and set pieces carefully.
– For example, when you officiate a Champions League match with Bologna, do you learn all the players’ names before the match?
– The Champions League is different. A special analyst is assigned who contacts us online one day before or the day of the match and explains all details with videos. This procedure is mandatory.
– How early do you arrive in the city where the match is held?
– We must arrive by 4 p.m. the day before at the city or a nearby hotel. Sometimes there’s no hotel in the city, so we stay in a nearby town.
– Really? What kind of city doesn’t have a hotel?
– For example, when I officiated Ludogorets in Razgrad, there was only one hotel, which was for the guest team. We can’t stay with the teams, so we were sent to Varna. For countries with different climates like the Faroe Islands, we sometimes arrive two days early due to weather.
– Do you train the day before the match?
– Yes, if the stadium is nearby, we train there; if not, we train in a nearby arena.
– Do you get time to explore the city?
– No, we don’t have time. We can go out but are usually too tired or focused on the match. On match day, we might get 1-2 hours but usually only to visit certain places nearby.
– About referees’ professionalism: players generally are full-time professionals with no second jobs. Referees’ situations differ. How important is this?
– In Azerbaijan, referees have had professional status for 4 seasons. Premier League main and assistant referees work on contracts. The federation pays a monthly salary and match fees. Not all UEFA countries have this; only about 30% do. We are among those 30%. In some countries, only main referees have professional status. Still, if you can manage training and matches, you can have another job.
– Do you have another job?
– Yes, I teach at the Sports Academy. Classes are hourly, so it’s manageable.
– Where else have you worked?
– I worked about 8 years in the federation’s referees department and one year supervising pools at a city hotel.
– Do you have close friendships with famous European referees?
– I have good relations with all but no very close friendships. I have warm relations with Alejandro Hernandez, whom I meet when he visits. I meet Michael Oliver twice a year.
– Whose refereeing style do you like most?
– It changes over time. I liked Howard Webb before, then closely followed Cuneyt Cakir, whose calmness I admire. Among current referees, I like Polish referee Szymon Marciniak and French referee Francois Letexier. Letexier is excellent and officiated a European Championship final at a young age.
– Let’s discuss general problems in refereeing. Don’t you think artificial intelligence will interfere with your job eventually?
– Technology is increasingly involved each year with changes. But I don’t believe referees will be pushed off the field soon. I don’t think AI alone will make decisions. Some say VAR makes football robotic.
– You sound like a football fan, not a referee. Do you support VAR?
– Yes, I welcomed VAR. It relieves referees from post-match pressure. Imagine a referee makes 2-3 mistakes during the game; VAR corrects them, so no one discusses the referee after. Without VAR, the referee would be the main topic. VAR is for players and teams’ benefit.
– But VAR referees also make mistakes…
– The VAR protocol says decision-makers can make mistakes. Yes, errors are serious, and we understand that. But VAR officials are human and can err.
– Why make mistakes then?
– It depends on interpretation. One might see an incident as a red card, another might not. VAR refereeing is not easy. Any referee would prefer to be on the field rather than the VAR room because errors on the field are understood, but errors in the VAR room aren’t. On review, you must make the right call. If you err in an offside decision, no one believes it was just a mistake.
– I feel referees have become complacent with VAR, not watching incidents carefully because they expect to be corrected…
– No, we act like VAR doesn’t exist. If VAR corrects your decision, your rating drops, and the VAR referee’s rating rises. You never think, “I’ll miss this incident, and they’ll fix it.” VAR corrects justice but makes your rating fall.
– Many call VAR decisions unfair. Offside rulings cause frustration when a player’s long nose causes an offside and cancels a goal. Could it be like goal-line technology, where the ball must fully cross the line to count, and offside is called only when the entire body is ahead?
– Technology doesn’t allow that yet, but the issue is under discussion. If a player has long feet or nose, it’s their problem. We follow the rules as required.
– Do you admit there are loopholes in today’s football rules?
– Every rule has loopholes. For example, a goalkeeper can’t hold the ball more than 8 seconds; otherwise, a corner kick is awarded. After repeated offenses, the goalkeeper gets a yellow card. This could be seen as a loophole, but it’s a measure against time wasting. Goalkeepers also waste time when releasing the ball. There’s no precise timing for that; it depends on judgment.
– Here’s an incident: A player passes the goalkeeper and aims at an empty net, but a ball boy or someone enters the field and blocks him. The goal is not counted. Is this correct?
– Yes, it’s unfair to the attacking team, and I understand that. But the rules say if the ball doesn’t cross the line, no goal. We must follow the rules.
– What other sports do you follow?
– I watch our athletes who can bring medals at the Olympics, especially judo and wrestling. I also closely follow basketball, watching interesting games at the Olympics, NBA, and EuroLeague. Olympic basketball is more exciting than football.
– Do you agree basketball refereeing is harder than football?
– Yes, that’s why basketball was the first to use video replays, even before hockey.
– Speaking of hockey, referees announce decisions via microphone in international club championships. How good an idea is that for football?
– It attracts fans’ interest and is a good innovation. Sometimes difficult incidents happen that fans don’t understand, so it’s good to inform them.
– Jose Mourinho once said referees should explain their decisions to journalists after matches. What do you think?
– This was implemented in Azerbaijan for a year. If a referee made a mistake, he had to explain it post-match. We often approached CBC Sport journalists to comment. I don’t think this is the right approach because you can’t fully analyze decisions immediately. The Netherlands was the first to use this system.
– What are Aliyar Agayev’s hobbies?
– I love traveling. I visit countries for work but want to travel for leisure. Because of matches, I can’t travel much. I plan my free time in June. Sometimes I watch films and TV series, including our local productions, which have improved recently. I try to read books, mostly detective novels, and often read a book first, then watch the film adaptation. One favorite is Henri Charriere’s “Papillon” and the film based on it.
– How many children do you have?
– I have a 9-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter.
– Does your son have an interest in football?
– He is somewhat interested. We’ll see what the future holds.
– And if he wants to become a referee?
– Honestly, I wouldn’t want him to because it’s a very tough profession. But it’s not always up to us.
– So, if you could go back, you might not pursue refereeing?
– I’d be involved in football but might not choose refereeing. Every job is tough, and being on the field is even harder, though it looks easy from outside. If we let someone who thinks it’s easy onto the field, they wouldn’t last 5 minutes.
– Do you ever feel tired during a match?
– Yes, sometimes unexpected matches exhaust you, especially when officiating underdog teams.
– Have you ever left a match early due to injury?
– No, but I have experienced discomfort and pain during matches, especially towards the end.
– Have fans ever found your contacts and sent unpleasant messages after matches?
– No, never. Also, I don’t use social media.
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