"Qarabag", who defeated “Shkendija” (North Macedonia) in the first match of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, needs a leader in the attacking line.
According to Idman.biz, this was stated by the president of the Western Regional Football Federation, Nadir Nabiyev, in an interview with Report news agency.
The former Azerbaijan national team player considered “Qarabag” to be superior to their North Macedonian opponents: “The match was under Qarabag’s control. The opponent didn’t have many goal chances. In some episodes, Mateusz Kochalski saved Qarabag from conceding. Once the new players adapt, Qarabag will play more comfortably. We all know that Qarabag often starts the European season slowly and becomes more reliable later. In my opinion, they need a striker, a leader in the front line, to improve. Shkendija is not an ordinary team. They defeated a strong opponent in the previous round. The second leg will be more difficult for Qarabag. Shkendija is truly a respectable opponent, even though they had very few chances in the first game. What’s pleasing about Qarabag is that they haven’t conceded in recent matches. That shows the defense isn’t leaving many gaps.”
Nabiyev also evaluated the performance of Qarabag’s new signings: “Sometimes our expectations might not be met. Overall, they are good players who can strengthen the team. It’s normal if we don’t yet see what we want, the adaptation process is still ongoing. I think things will improve over time. For now, the departed players haven’t been fully replaced. In recent games, Nariman Akhundzada has made a decent impression. After Yacine Bammou’s departure, Emmanuel Addai has played in that position. But it’s unfamiliar to him. Even if Gurban Gurbanov continues to use him there, he’ll likely sign another player, as Addai hasn’t provided the expected impact yet. He might improve with each match. It also seems like too much burden is placed on Kady Borges. Missing a penalty in one match and squandering several chances in the next indicates pressure. Physically, he’s fine and even dropped back several times to help the defenders. It seems more is expected from Kady, but it hasn’t materialized. I find this normal, he is an important player for Qarabag.”
He emphasized that the issue will be resolved in Baku: “In any case, Gurban Gurbanov’s team has a better chance of overcoming their opponent in Baku. They won 1–0 away and were tactically superior. However, they must be cautious, as the opponent has dangerous attacking power. I hope Qarabag will win with a strong performance.”
The first match between Shkendija and Qarabag ended in a 1–0 win for the Azerbaijani side. The return leg will take place on August 12 at 20:00 at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Idman.biz
