Although Qarabag defeated Ferencvaros by a two-goal margin in the first match, the game in Baku was expected to be challenging, as the opponent was not willing to give up.
These remarks were made by Elkhan Abdullayev, head coach of Azerbaijan’s U-19 national team, in an interview with AZERTAC while commenting on Qarabag’s progression to the next stage of the UEFA Champions League, Idman.biz reports.
Qarabag defeated Hungary’s Ferencvaros 5-4 on aggregate in the play-off round.
He noted that despite the home loss, qualifying for the Champions League group stage is a major achievement for the Agdam club: “The result was important for Gurban Gurbanov and his team. The opponent was more dangerous in the final minutes. Our goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski also deserves praise for several excellent saves. Currently, the Azerbaijani people are feeling proud. Having our representative in the main stage of Europe’s biggest club tournament is magnificent.”
The veteran coach added that it doesn’t matter which team Qarabag faces in the group stage: “All teams there are strong. Facing them and bringing them to Baku will be a moment of pride for Qarabag.”
The draw for the UEFA Champions League group stage will take place today. The event will be held in Monaco, France, at 20:00 Baku time, where Qarabag’s opponents will also be determined. The Agdam club is placed in Pot IV.
Idman.biz
