An interview of former “Qarabag” defender Zaur Hashimov with Sportal.az.
“Qarabag” will play its first match in the new Champions League format today. How would you evaluate Qarabag’s performance in the last game against “Zira”?
I can’t say Qarabag played its best game against Zira. Of course, Zira’s performance should also be taken into account. One of the reasons was that some of Qarabag’s players were away in the national team camp, so they couldn’t prepare for this game with the full squad. But today Qarabag will step onto the pitch in a completely different atmosphere. The first Champions League game is a very serious test.
What do you think Qarabag can hope for against Benfica away? Do you expect a successful result from your former team?
Benfica is a club that plays in European competitions every season and one of Portugal’s most established teams. Despite currently sitting 5th in Portugal, we face a very tough game. I think if Qarabag can return from Portugal with one point, that would be a good result for us.
Expectations weren’t high for Qarabag against Braga either, but our team succeeded. Do you think this game against a bigger club from the same country will resemble the Braga matches?
I am sure Benfica’s coaches have analyzed Qarabag’s games against Braga. They will approach Qarabag with more caution and respect. So we will see a very different game compared to Qarabag–Braga.
Qarabag was heavily criticized for not signing a striker, and now Nariman Akhundzada is injured. The only natural striker is Musa Qurbanly. Against Zira, winger Camilo Duran played as a forward. Do you think it’s better to use Duran or Musa up front?
In the game with Zira, the gap in attack was quite evident. Nariman’s injury makes things even more difficult for the coaching staff. I think today Camilo Duran will start in the forward line.
Overall, how many points do you think Qarabag can collect in this season’s Champions League? Do you believe in any major surprises? The opponents are Liverpool, Chelsea, Napoli, Athletic Bilbao, Copenhagen, Ajax, and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Let’s admit it: all the teams in our group are top clubs. Maybe only Copenhagen can be seen a bit differently. That’s why any victory Qarabag gets will be registered as a sensation. If we assess the group realistically, I think Qarabag can collect around 5–6 points.
Is there a big difference between the 2017/18 Qarabag squad that reached the Champions League group stage and the current one? Which looks stronger?
In my opinion, the 2017/18 squad was stronger. The current squad has also shown its strength by qualifying for the group stage. But now the Champions League regulations are different, and the opponents are much stronger. Watching Qarabag against such teams will be very interesting.
Idman.biz
