AZERBAIJAN IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?

UEFA disclosed the full format of the new season. The details of innovations are clarified and will take effect in the Champions League (CL) and the European League (EL) starting from 2018-2019.

Starting from the new season, 26 teams will be automatically qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League including the winners of both CL and EL, whereas previously only 22 teams had this privilege. Thus, the number of teams from qualifying tournament fell from 10 to 6. Previously, five of them had an access to the Path of Champions (winners of domestic championships) and five - to the Path of League Representatives (high-ranked teams of domestic championships). Now the latter will have only two places in the group stage, and four teams, which passed to the Path of Champions, in which Azerbaijan is also represented, will be qualified. It is the struggle among these four teams that is interesting for Azerbaijani clubs. At the same time, every team that leaves the screening for the Champions League will get a chance to fight in the European League. The number of clubs eligible to EL from the group stage is 17. The remaining 31 will be known after the qualifying stages.

For the first time in the history of Azerbaijani football, Garabagh FC was qualified for the CL group stage in the season 2017/2018. Now our clubs have to prove that this success was not accidental, just as we did in the European League.

Although the historical success of Neftchi, which was the first local team to qualify for the EL group stage in season 2012/2013, was repeated only after an annual break, Azerbaijan has managed to gain a foothold in the tournament of the second rank. In four tournaments in a row, local clubs were qualified for the group stage six times in total, thus confirming that Azerbaijan was not an accidental participant of this stage. Garabagh has played three times in the group stage of the league; twice played Gabala (both of these clubs have played in the EL group stage for two consecutive years) and once Neftchi.

We have to achieve the same result in an even stronger tournament, which is the Champions League. However, it is very unlikely that Garabagh, Gabala, and Zira will cope with this task if one looks at the existing state in the Premier League. Experts believe that after the recent change of the format of European cups, the group tournament has become even more difficult for us, and our champion will have to work even harder. It is still possible to clarify the prospects after considering the format of the season for the Champions League in 2018/2019 and the positions of our future rivals.

As before, the new season will begin with 32 group teams. These teams will pass to the main round of the tournament through three main ways, as before. For the first time in its history, the Champions League will start with a preliminary round. Winners of the four weakest European championships will determine the winner of the qualifying stage.

The strongest among the weakest teams will join the 33 teams that will fight in the first qualifying round. They will be joined by the champion of Azerbaijan. Our possible trouble-makers may be Astana, BATE, representatives of Denmark, Scotland, Cyprus, and Israel. However, the ratings of Garabagh and Gabala make us hope that our representative among the seeded teams will not play a strong rival in the first round.

A serious test for an Azerbaijani representative can be the second qualifying round, where the champions of three other countries will join the 17 winners of the previous round. Although there is a chance to be screened in this round of the tournament, it is also possible to get into another basket, which promises a duel with a strong or approximately equal rival.

Only 12 teams will play in the third qualifying round. The champions of Holland and Greece will join to 10 lucky champions from the previous round. They will be represented by such teams as Olympiakos, Feyenoord, Ajax. A chance to become screened is extremely small.

In the fourth qualification stage also known as the play-off stage, there will be only four pairs: six winners of the previous stage plus the champions of the Czech Republic and Switzerland. Taking into account the potential of Basel and the fact that the Czechs are an uncomfortable opponent for us, this round will be much harder than the previous ones. Strong teams will play here, so getting into the seed basket for the Azerbaijani club is unrealistic. If we find ourselves in another basket, we will meet with a strong opponent. However, we do not have to be weary to write a new page in history and to prove that the achieved success is not accidental because of Basel or Olympiakos. If we want to preserve the image of an average team, we must be ready to fight them.

Although the format of the group stage has not changed, the start time of matches will be changed. They will start at 21:55 or 23:00 Baku time. In summer time, this will be respectively 20:55 and 22:00.

The director of Garabagh FC Amrah Celikel told R+ that the goals remained unchanged: “It has been always difficult to be qualified for the CL group tournament. It is honourable to play in the most prestigious club tournament in Europe. In recent years, the main goal of Garabagh was to get a ticket for the group stage. We are glad that we achieved what we wanted. Since the new season, the rules are changing. To get a ticket to the Champions League for the representatives of countries such as Azerbaijan will be even more difficult. But our goals remain unchanged. We will fight again to please Azerbaijan.”

Member of the Committee of AFFA trainers, famous specialist Aghasalim Mirjavadov told R+ that in the new season our clubs expect even more serious tests: “I am familiar with the new rules of UEFA. Now our teams will have to overcome four stages in the Champions League. It is likely that we play with a stronger rival in the playoffs. Therefore, it will certainly be more difficult for us. After all, football does not stand still. All countries are developing. I think that in summer Garabagh will take part in the Champions League. It has no equal in the national championship. Time will tell what will happen in European competition. I really want our country to be represented again in the Champions League.”

By the way, the finals of the Europa League in season 2018/2019 will be held at the Baku Olympic Stadium. The decisive match of the Champions League will be played at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, and the Super Cup will be played at the A. Le Kok Arena in Tallinn.