Today, the match between "Qarabağ" (Azerbaijan) – "Newcastle" (England) will also be held as part of the UEFA Champions League play-off round. The match, which will kick off at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku, will start at 21:45. It will be possible to watch the "Qarabağ"-"Newcastle" match live on the CBC Sport TV channel.
Various opinions are being voiced regarding the match. In particular, the statements made by head coach Gurban Gurbanov a few days ago have created a pessimistic atmosphere among some regarding the match results.
Thus, after the away match against "Imishli" in the Azerbaijani championship, Gurban Gurbanov stated that they would not be ready for the Champions League match against “Newcastle”.
"Because we spent our strength for 3-4 games today. The recovery of the players will be difficult, it won't happen. I didn't think it would be this much. Frankly, when these clubs came to the League, they were given a year to fix the stadium. This created complacency among them. Again, when I came to Quba, I didn't know the pitch was in such a bad state. I am very disappointed. I have never been this disappointed recently,” said the head coach.
In a statement to Modern.az, Agil Abbas, a Member of Parliament from Aghdam, stated that Gurban Gurbanov's remarks, on the contrary, will motivate the players:
"Gurban Gurbanov knows what he is saying. On the contrary, his recent statements will motivate the players. This is a call to the players that if you want, you will play. For example, the pitch where the match against “Imishli” was played was indeed not in good condition. True, “Imishli” plays there and suffers. Playing on such a pitch before the “Newcastle” match was not a good situation. But what can be done? There is no stadium."
The Aghdam MP believes that "Qarabağ" will defeat “Newcastle”:
"I have always believed in “Qarabağ”'s victory. Today, “Qarabağ” will also win against “Newcastle”. Our players will demonstrate their strength and intelligence, Gurban Gurbanov has a strategy, and they will play to the best of their abilities. In football, there is not only winning but also losing. “Newcastle”'s budget is 1 billion, while “Qarabağ”'s budget is 29 million euros. These factors must also be taken into account. But our footballers will play with heart."
Former head coach of the Azerbaijani national team, Shahin Diniyev, says that “Qarabağ” is indeed achieving very great things.
"I think it's superfluous to say anything about this. They have reached the play-off stage, which is a very big achievement. In the play-offs, both clubs have equal chances. Because today “Newcastle” is also not at its peak.
There are big problems within the team. Despite winning a match in the 1/16 round of the English Cup, their performance in the championship is poor. “Newcastle” has been playing very weakly in recent Premier League matches. The problems within the team are significant. There is great pressure on both coaches and players. In other words, the strong “Newcastle” of the past is no longer there.
“Qarabağ” is also not at its peak today. Let's say, a team cannot play on three fronts. It expends great energy in both the Azerbaijani championship and the Champions League, and the team does not have a large squad for rotation. Let's say that approximately two or three players can be considered close to the main squad. Therefore, it is difficult to play matches under this regime and physical strain. In recent matches, “Qarabağ” has won by a single goal with great difficulty. Falling to second place in the Azerbaijani championship might also slightly lower Qarabağ's motivation. I believe that whatever problems existed before, they should all be set aside. Today, a Champions League match is being played, and undoubtedly, both teams will take to the field to achieve the maximum result."
Regarding Gurban Gurbanov's statements, Shahin Diniyev said the following:
"I believe that the fate of the match depends on the second leg to be played in England. Before the first match, nothing definite can be said yet. As for Gurban Gurbanov's opinions, I do not consider it ethical to comment on another coach. However, what he said after the match against “Imishli” could also have an inverse effect. That is, these statements could also motivate the players.”
Sports journalist and commentator Tural Mammadli however, believes that other head coaches should also agree with Gurban Gurbanov's views:
"It seems to me that Gurban Gurbanov did not arrive at this opinion quickly. I think he had been holding back from expressing his views on these very problems for a long time. However, consecutive heavy workloads, injury problems, and other issues before such an important and significant match have now exhausted Mr. Gurban. In my opinion, other coaches would and should agree with his view. Because if we approach the poor condition of the pitch professionally, we know very well what kind of injuries it can cause to players. These injuries are by no means short-term.
Also, let's consider that such a heavy workload and problems experienced by players before such a big match - the encounter with “Newcastle” - also exhausts the head coach. From that perspective, I believe Gurban Gurbanov's statements can be understood.”
T. Mammadli emphasized that he absolutely does not believe that players will lose motivation as a result of Gurban Gurbanov's statements:
"On the contrary, it seems to me that Gurban Gurbanov has conveyed the players' message to everyone. That is, his opinion is also the players' opinion, and the members of "Qarabağ" are by no means satisfied with this issue, just as their head coach stated. We also know very well how Gurban Gurbanov always thinks about his players and approaches them individually. I do not think that this statement will negatively affect the game. However, to what extent the specific points mentioned by Mr. Gurban will be felt in "Qarabağ"'s game, I cannot say for sure.
"Qarabağ" is making history this year, having a legendary season, and today we expect a fairytale encounter. A Champions League play-off match is fantastic for us, and we hope that our players will forget all the issues and deliver their best performance.”
