Sport24.az
After the Champions League IV round match "Qarabagh" - "Chelsea" (2:2), the head coach of the home team, Gurban Gurbanov, answered journalists' questions. Sport24.az reports that the expert first expressed his views on the meeting…
– I thank the fans. Our "Victory Day" is coming up. I was very happy that my players fought today. They managed to stand firm until the end. Although we were playing against one of the strongest clubs in Europe. They were not afraid, they showed the character typical of Azerbaijanis. Today we won a point. This was our first point against English clubs. Such games and results give us great confidence. Most importantly, it pleases football in our country, our fans, and our leadership. We have games against Napoli and Ajax ahead. Perhaps they are waiting for a game with us to win three points.
– What was the reason for Kadi Borges starting the game on the right flank?
– Due to the opponent's game. We took such a step because of their style.
– Did you lose two points or gain one point?
– If a point has been added to our points, it means we have won. It could have been 0. Our score is 7.
– How did you manage to stay so calm on the sidelines?
– Maybe it's due to my character. Let's just say, what is, is.
– You scored against Chelsea when you were with 10 players...
– Yes, we scored when we were shorthanded. It is possible that the opponent was a little careless at those minutes. Because there were times when they were also with 10 players. At that moment, we took precautions. We tried to use our chance as soon as it came. Such things happen. Sometimes a team plays shorthanded for 60-70 minutes and scores. These were some of the unthinkable aspects of football.
– The play-off stage scores are going on. What are Qarabagh's dreams regarding the tournament?
– I had expressed my thoughts from the first day. The current team is different from the team in 2017. We have grown more. There are players in the squad who had not seen a big tournament until they came to us. Honestly, I was worried when the opponents were known. The excitement of some football players worried me. Thank God, a fighting team was created from our trust in each other, from taking over the team. Until the group stage games, I believed that we would get here. This was our goal from the first round and we achieved it. If we have a chance, we will try to make the most of it. We must not be satisfied with training and points. We need to train more and chase success.
