“It was a tough game.”
Idman.biz, citing Teleqraf, reports that this is what "Araz-Nakhchivan" player Rahil Mammadov told journalists after their 0:4 home defeat to Cyprus’ “Omonia” in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round.
The 30-year-old defender said the team was tired: “Because we received a red card in the last game against Aris, and we also had a long journey from Greece to here.”
He expressed belief in a comeback during the return match: “Anything is possible in football, I believe. We knew they were a tough opponent, this is football, and it happened this way. We will prepare for the second leg.”
Mammadov also explained his departure from Polish club Radomiak: “I was planning to change clubs. ‘Araz-Nakhchivan’ was the club that wanted me the most. They welcomed me well. I already knew many of the players.”
He emphasized that he always hopes to be called up to the national team: “I always want to play for the national team. If I’m in form and get the call-up, I’ll gladly go and help.”
Mammadov also spoke about the opponents in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers: “Our opponents are well-known teams, everyone knows them. We’ll give our best in those games. We’ll see during the matches whether we are ready or not. Things don’t always go well in football. There have also been major changes in AFFA…”
He asked for support from the fans: “My performance may be a bit below par. I expect better from myself. I thank the fans who have supported us so far, even if they are few in number. I accept their constructive criticism.”
Idman.biz
