Aftandil Hajiyev: "The players couldn't overcome the initial excitement"

Qarabagh's U-19 team has started competing in the League stage of the UEFA Youth League. Sport24.az reports that Aftandil Hajiyev, the coordinator of the Aghdam representative's academy, shared his thoughts on the first round match against Benfica in Portugal on the club's website:

"The game can be divided into two different parts. In the first 45 minutes, the excitement was more noticeable in our players. This was due to the fact that they were playing in such a tournament for the first time. The difference between us and the opponent was felt in the experience in these high-level competitions. We couldn't start the game well. We conceded early goals from our own mistakes. The players couldn't overcome the initial excitement. The changes and instructions given by the coaches at halftime showed themselves in the second half. Although the advantage was still with the opponent, our team tried to play more disciplined and accurate. Although Benfica won by a large score, we were able to finish the second half in a draw. I think that the players and coaches gained a lot from this match. Such experiences can have a positive impact on them. The more meetings of this level, the more it will affect the development of young players."

Aftandil Hajiyev also shared his thoughts on the opponent: "We tried to gather extensive information about Benfica. The Portuguese club has three squads in this age group. It was not clear until match time which players they would give preference to. They had returned from a tournament in Spain. We also watched the championship match they played two days ago. There were also changes in their squad. They fielded more experienced players. They take the Youth League very seriously. Benfica aims to regain the cup they won once and is fighting for the championship. Facing such an opponent will be useful for us in the future. What we saw in the club's academy was also a good experience for us. Benfica has one of the best academies in Europe. The conditions and system in the academy have been established for many years."