"Play-off games are intense because they are two-legged ties." These words were said to Sport24.az by Shahin Diniyev, the former head coach of the Azerbaijani national team.
The expert spoke about the "Qarabağ" - "Newcastle" match, which will take place today in the UEFA Champions League:
"Qarabağ" and "Newcastle" are not in peak form. The opponent has a lot of injured players. They have been unsuccessful in both the English Premier League and the last matches of the Champions League. Although they won the cup game, the club's management and head coach are under great pressure. They cannot show their previous games. This is probably due to the large number of injured players in this squad. These cases happen in every big club."
Diniyev also spoke about the situation of the Azerbaijani representative:
"The situation in "Qarabağ" is not the same as before. The team is a little far from its optimal form. In the last two rounds of the Premier League, they scored goals in the last minutes and won against "Shamakhi" and "Imishli". The reason for this is that fighting on 3 fronts with the same squad creates mental fatigue in the players. The chances are equal. Both teams can recover and perform successfully. It is not surprising which team wins. The fate of the pair will be decided in the match in England."
It should be noted that the "Qarabağ" - "Newcastle" match will start at 21:45.