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Interview with Zaur Akhundov, President of the Nakhchivan Football Federation and de facto Head of the "Araz-Nakhchivan" Club, to Telegraf
- What are your thoughts on the game?
- We still can't believe it. It was a tough game. True, nothing is clear at the moment. The fate of the tie will be decided in the return leg. On the other hand, we are happy that our team won its first Eurocup match in history. Of course, these competitions consist of two matches. We will prepare for the return match.
- Didn't you feel disappointed when your team was down 0:1?
- No, even then I believed that we would not lose this game. This team was well prepared for the match. "Aris" is also a strong opponent. We got the toughest opponent among the teams representing Azerbaijan in Europe. Nevertheless, the players showed character. We were close to scoring the third goal. We even wasted two hundred percent goal opportunities. But that's football.
- At the post-match press conference, the opposing head coach spoke very ambitiously. He said, "My team will play a completely different game at home"...
- Of course, he has to say that. Every head coach should motivate his team before the second game. It will be a tough away game for us too.
- We know the result, were you satisfied with the game itself?
- It was the first official game of the season, there were mistakes in the team. The coaching staff will work on this. But even so, we had just arrived from training camp, and there was very little rest. Almost 70 percent of the team has changed. Nevertheless, the work of the coaching staff was evident on the field.
- Are the new players proving themselves, did you like them?
- Of course, I liked them. But I don't like giving time, the word giving time is not in my lexicon. I think that in a month the players will be more adapted and will play good football.
- Igor Ribeiro has been transferred to "Neftchi". If you advance to the next stage, will he stay in your team?
- Of course, he is already a "Neftchi" player. Let's not talk in advance. Ribeiro is a very important player. But first of all, we are waiting for the return match with "Aris". If we win and advance to the stage, then we will naturally ask "Neftchi".
- It is already clear that "Araz-Nakhchivan" has prepared very well for the next season, strengthened with good transfers. Can we think that it will fight for the championship from now on?
- No, you can't say in advance. The number of teams has increased in the new season, there will be a 12-team championship. It seems that other teams have also strengthened. There are still unseen sides of the elite clubs. The championship will show it. But our main focus is on the return match against "Aris".
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