“Ferencvaros lost in front of their home fans. Since there is nothing left to lose, they will try to play attacking football from the first minutes to show their desire to win. They have no other choice. This, in turn, could create opportunities for Qarabag to punish them on counterattacks.”
Idman.biz reports that these comments were made to Futbolinfo.az by Qarabag’s former forward Rauf Aliyev.
The veteran player noted that the away victory will not make Qarabag complacent: “Winning away is psychologically important for the players. However, Qarabag’s players are experienced. Many of them have been playing in European competitions for years. I think the result from the away match will not create overconfidence in the team. On the contrary, they will approach the game fully focused. Qarabag always plays stable football regardless of the opponent. Even if they are leading, they don’t fall back into defense because that would be risky for them. I believe they will continue to control the ball and focus more on attack.”
He added that the team is improving with each game and has found its desired rhythm: “The team performs better with each match. Possibly after the training camp, they have found the rhythm they want. Every player’s process of reaching peak form is different. In the away match, we saw Qarabag play very well. Even when trailing, their ball control and physical superiority were obvious. I think we will see the same today. Each player’s effort has contributed to the team reaching its current level.”
The former player compared the past and present: “There is a big difference between the current squad and our time. Back then, we were a young team mostly made up of local players experiencing European competition for the first time. About 80% of the squad were youngsters. It was very valuable experience for us. Fans also started believing in Qarabag. In the following years, the club gained considerable experience and established a game system. Now strong foreign players have joined the squad. The club grows and develops every year. I only wish for their continued success. Hopefully, they will reach the Champions League group stage.”
Idman.biz
