Sport24.az
"Our team started the new season with a Champions League game. "Qarabag", participating in the most prestigious club tournament of the continent for the 11th time in its history, and for the 4th time in a row, started the fight from the II qualifying round, as it did last year. In our first match, we faced "Shelbourne" in Ireland. It was a tough game, we had difficult moments. I am glad that we won 3:0 in the end. However, this result does not give reason to be complacent. The opponent is the champion of Ireland."
Sport24.az reports that this was stated by "Qarabag" president Tahir Gozel in his statement to the club's website on the eve of the team's first home game of the 2025-2026 season.
He shared his views on expectations from the return match of the II qualifying round of the Champions League with "Shelbourne" in Baku and transfer plans: "In general, the strongest of their countries play in the qualifying and play-off stages of the Champions League. Therefore, regardless of who they are, there are no easy opponents. Our team understands this well. I know that our head coach Gurban Gurbanov and the technical staff he leads prepare the team for each meeting with great responsibility. I have endless faith in our team's desire to win. Our team is seriously preparing for the return game as well. The return match will be the first home game of the season. I want us to win and advance to the next stage with a beautiful and worthy game in the first match in front of our native fans. I call on our fans to watch this match from the stadium and support our team. Our team gets extra strength and inspiration from them. We want to pass the stage together with our fans. As in every season, our goals are high. "Shelbourne" is the first step on the road to the goal. I believe that our team will delight its fans with its success in European cups and victories in domestic competitions in the current season as well."
Tahir Gozel also touched upon transfers: "We started the new season with new transfers. We have already seen some of them on the field. Some of the new transfers have appeared in the test matches held within the framework of the training camp in Austria, as well as in the match against "Shelbourne". Others will have a chance in the next meetings. I believe that they will be useful to the team during the season and will help to achieve success. We want to make new transfers. Our head coach and technical staff are working on transfers in parallel with preparing the team for the games. We are trying to buy the players they want to strengthen the positions they deem necessary. We want a player in the front line - a striker and positions that will support the attack. If there are options for the transfer of players who will be useful in other positions, we will strengthen our squad with them as well. We are doing everything that depends on us. I believe that we will achieve our desire in the near future. Our fans want to see a stronger "Qarabag" and want new transfers for this. They can be sure that we are using all means to strengthen the team. We will make the transition of whichever player is needed for which position."
