AZERBAIJANI ADVENTURES IN EUROPE

The Azerbaijan football public focused their attention most recently on the Swiss city of Nyon, where lots were drawn for next season's European football tournaments. Azerbaijani teams learned who they were to face in the first two first qualifying rounds of the Champions League and the Europa League.

Thus, in the most prestigious club contest - the Champions League, Baku's FC Inter will meet opponents very familiar to Azerbaijani fans. To move on to the third qualifying round, the Azerbaijani champions will have to beat the Polish champions, Lech. This team has previously played and beaten Karvan and Xazar-Lankaran. Inter's first fixture with the Poles will be held on 13 July in Baku, while the away match will take place on 21 July.

Baku, the holders of the Azerbaijan Cup, will play the Montenegrin club Buducnost. The capital's team will enter the Europa League in the second qualifying round.

The first qualifying round will see Karabakh and Xazar-Lankaran in action. Karabakh are expected to play Macedonia's Metallurg, and Xazar-Lankaran will meet Moldova's Olimpia. If Xazar-Lankaran succeed, they will cross swords with Dinamo (Bucharest), while Karabakh will await the winner of the match between Portadown (Northern Ireland) - Skonto (Latvia).

I must say that the draw should suit the Azerbaijani clubs. At least, unlike last season, our teams do not have to play a team like Rosenborg in the first round.

In this situation, only Inter were less fortunate. The "bankers'" opponents, Lech, have been prominent among Polish clubs in recent years. They play especially well at home, where they are supported by a large army of fans. UEFA experts believe that Lech provide unwelcome opposition for Azerbaijani teams. Two seasons ago, the Poles, who have good experience in European cups, beat Xazar-Lankaran and reached the last 32 of the UEFA Cup.

As for Baku, even before the draw, the club management did not conceal the fact that they did not want to meet a strong team. The current holders of the National Cup are not fully staffed and the club management is keen to avoid unnecessary problems. However, Buducnost cannot be called a weak team. Baku will play with young and physically savvy players.

Things are different for Karabakh. The Agdam club, which was remembered for its brilliant play in the international arena last season, has managed to maintain its full complement. Macedonia's Metallurg will have to take this into account. Moreover, the Macedonians' finances are not the strongest and the club management is unlikely to use its leading players. So Karabakh has every chance of coming out of the tie on top. There is another positive factor: Metallurg has very little experience in playing at continental level - Karabakh's opponents have only participated three times in European contests.

Xazar-Lankaran have been even more fortunate in its opposition. The southerners may easily earn a place in the next round from their first game against Moldova's Olimpia, and that's in the away match. There can be no talk of failure in the return match because Agasalim Mircavadov's team will host the Moldovans on their own pitch. This will be the first European tie at the Lankaran stadium.