After the 2–3 defeat against “Imishli” in Matchday 12 of the Misli Premier League, “Neftchi” assistant coach Mubariz Orucov answered journalists’ questions at the post-match press conference.

Speaking to Offsideplus.az, Orucov commented on the team’s current situation and admitted that the results have been disappointing:

“We’ve dropped too many points. Today’s defeat was also painful. We have many new players, and the squad isn’t fully settled yet. Compared to last season, there have been major changes, and the adaptation process is still ongoing. Even though our gameplay has improved, it’s not reflected in the results yet.”

Evaluating the opponent’s performance, Orucov noted that “İmişli” played with strong motivation:

“İmişli played good football today. They were very determined, and that’s why they won.”

The coach also addressed the goals conceded from set-piece situations:

“We had warned the players that the opponent was dangerous from throw-ins. Unfortunately, we conceded exactly the type of goals we feared.”

When asked about falling below “İmişli” in the league standings, Orucov said they remain focused on both competitions:

“We are focused on both the league and the cup. Things are not going well for us in the league, but the cup is a shorter path, and we’ll take it seriously. There are still matches ahead.”

Orucov concluded by outlining the club’s ambitions:

“Neftchi’s target is always the championship. At the very least, we aim to qualify for European competitions—and we believe we can achieve that.”