“Maybe the result of the first match affected our performance in the return leg.”
Idman.biz, citing Sport24.az, reports that these were the words of Qarabag player Bahlul Mustafazada in a statement to journalists.
The defender shared his thoughts on the return leg of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, where they defeated Ireland’s Shelbourne 1-0 in Baku: “We expected the opponent to try and come back. And they did try. They had prepared well against us, especially for the second match. Despite that, we got the result we wanted.”
Mustafazada also touched on the potential challenge the pitch might pose in the next round: “You’re right. The condition of the turf is slightly worse compared to previous times. But there’s nothing we can do. We’ll just play with how it is.”
He also explained the reasons why the team looked somewhat sluggish on the field: “The heat could have played a role. Also, it was only our second match. With time, we’ll reach better form.”
The player noted that at the very least, they’ve secured a place in the UEFA Conference League group stage: “Of course, that’s not the goal. We want to reach the main stage of the Champions League. We’ll fight for it.”
Qarabag will face North Macedonia’s Shkendija in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.
Idman.biz
