HaydnNUFC Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 QARABAĞ FK @ Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium (not their usual stadium, UEFA being woke with stadia as per) Our first knockout European tie since Benfica in the 2012-13 Europa League and our first knockout tie in the Champions League ever sees us travel to Baku, Azerbaijan. The furthest east we have ever travelled for a competitive European match as far as I know. Second only to Kairat Almaty's trip to Lisbon in terms of miles, we will travel approximately 2350 miles eastward. Qarabag are a club that originated in Aghdam in the Karabakh region, but has not played there since 1993 due to the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, a conflict that still affects all of the countries in the Caucasus region. They play their European matches at Azerbaijan's national stadium rather than their usual home of the Azersun Stadium which only holds 5800 fans. They won the Azerbaijani Premier League, their first league title in 21 years, in 2014 and have since continued to be the standard bearers for Azerbaijan in UEFA competitions. They've since won the Azerbaijani Premier League 12 times and Azerbaijan Cup 8 times. They became the second Azerbaijani team after Neftçi PFK to advance to the group stage of a European competition, making the UEFA Europa League group stage in 2014–15. Qarabağ is also the first Azerbaijani team to advance to the group stage of the higher UEFA Champions League, first time in the 2017–18. Now, they have played more UEFA matches than any other Azerbaijani team. LAST TIME OUT? We've never played them before nor any side from Azerbaijan. This is the furthest east we have played a competitive match since we beat Israeli side Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin 5-1 in 2004 under Graeme Souness in the UEFA Cup. (I think anyway; we played Anzhi Makhachkala in 2012-13 in Moscow as we couldn't play them in their home region of Dagestan due to more post-Soviet conflict. Is Moscow further east than Israel? Nee clue. Can't be arsed to check either. At least it wasn't almost in Asia. ) We have played a club from a Caucasus nation in Europe before with Dinamo Tbilisi from Georgia though that was only 1 match and at SJP. Same season as the Bnei Sakhnin match. We won that 2-0. WHAT ABOUT THEM NOW? They've been a moderately surprise package in the Champions League this season, finishing 22nd on 10 points. They won their first match away at Benfica 3-2 after going 2-0 down, a result which saw the sacking of Bruno Lage. They then won another 2 home games against Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt, 2-0 and 3-2 respectively. Chelsea were also held by them in Baku 2-2, losing their other home game to Ajax 2-4. That draw with Chelsea is the first time they have avoided defeat to an English club in Europe. Their record against PL sides is P4 W0 D1 L3. F2 A18. Quite a long trip but another eminently winnable tie. Even if it goes slightly wrong and we come out with a draw or narrow defeat, I still have confidence that we can progress through this tie with the second leg at SJP to come. Howay the lads! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBG Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Is it true Howe hasn't won against them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heron Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Just now, TBG said: Is it true Howe hasn't won against them? Has an appalling record versus this lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 These like to play and will have a go. 2-2, before we press the life out of them at SJP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Into these oil nonces Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paullow Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 I was thinking a draw would be a decent result here, take that, and then hopefully comfortably beat them at home, but I see they are 7/1 to win at a few places. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danh1 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Ideally we give them a good hiding and can rest players in the return leg. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbydazzla Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Eddie’s never won a game without Bruno playing and in Azerbaijan on a weeknight. Just saying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fountain Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 40 minutes ago, TBG said: Is it true Howe hasn't won against them? I heard he was unbeaten. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 This is the game where I’d rest as many players as possible with a view to overturning any deficit in the home leg - even if it is the biggest competition in football. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefaz Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 26 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said: This is the game where I’d rest as many players as possible with a view to overturning any deficit in the home leg - even if it is the biggest competition in football. Fuck that. Away goal is the most important thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heron Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 1 hour ago, TheBrownBottle said: This is the game where I’d rest as many players as possible with a view to overturning any deficit in the home leg - even if it is the biggest competition in football. I was thinking you'd maybe take your planned 11 and a slightly weakened bench purely to give them more rest from the travelling etc. Like. Not sure how that would look at present. For example you may start Wissa out there and leave Woltemade or Gordon at home or whatever it may be. Either way...I'll trust Howe's judgement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRC Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 @HaydnNUFCcba even finding previous footage now? Pathetic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 7 minutes ago, Heron said: I was thinking you'd maybe take your planned 11 and a slightly weakened bench purely to give them more rest from the travelling etc. Like. Not sure how that would look at present. For example you may start Wissa out there and leave Woltemade or Gordon at home or whatever it may be. Either way...I'll trust Howe's judgement. Yep, happy for Howe to do exactly that - we just have some crazy fixture congestion and a second bite if we lose an away tie. These are shite, ultimately - Howe always respects the opposition, but a weakened XI should be able to make a game of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timeEd32 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 1 hour ago, Keefaz said: Fuck that. Away goal is the most important thing. Not a thing anymore. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timeEd32 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 1 hour ago, TheBrownBottle said: This is the game where I’d rest as many players as possible with a view to overturning any deficit in the home leg - even if it is the biggest competition in football. Logically the right thing to do but a couple of the biggest games this club has seen and a huge pile of money lay on the other side. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiemag Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Pope Miley Thiaw Burn Hall Tonali Willock Ramsey Elanga Gordon Barnes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Decent podcast on them and their dubious history if you’re a dubious history nonce like me https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/p0lxg7xy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nufcjb Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 @SUPERTOON please come home a bit late from work on Wednesday, yeah? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegans Export Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Moscow is further East than Israel btw Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbydazzla Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 (edited) 1 hour ago, Keegans Export said: Moscow is further East than Israel btw Edited February 15 by bobbydazzla Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERTOON Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 2 hours ago, nufcjb said: @SUPERTOON please come home a bit late from work on Wednesday, yeah? I will actually miss the full game on Wednesday due to work Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 8 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said: This is the game where I’d rest as many players as possible with a view to overturning any deficit in the home leg - even if it is the biggest competition in football. Don't see a reason for that tbh, so far behind in the league that if anything the two cups should be the focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stifler Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 (edited) 7 hours ago, timeEd32 said: Logically the right thing to do but a couple of the biggest games this club has seen and a huge pile of money lay on the other side. Winning this 1 game would give us 10x the amount of money we got for winning League Cup final. Winning both away and home games would give us 20x the amount. Edited February 15 by Stifler Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteV Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 11 minutes ago, Stifler said: Winning this 1 game would give us 10x the amount of money we got for winning League Cup final. Winning both away and home games would give us 20x the amount. The money is just for whether you qualify or not isn’t it? Rather than the results of the individual games? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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