“Overall, it can be said that the season has been interesting.”

These words were spoken by Bakhtiyar Musayev, Head of the Scouting Department of AFFA’s Technical Department and a veteran footballer, in a statement to Offsideplus.az.

The expert shared his views on the first round of the Azerbaijan Premier League, which has recently concluded:

“In some matches, the low tempo was clearly noticeable. However, there were also quite a number of exciting games. Moreover, we witnessed intense competition at both the top and bottom of the league table.

Karvan Yevlakh earned promotion to the top division this year, and there were no major expectations from them. They were unable to assemble a strong squad, and this should be considered natural. ‘Kəpəz’, on the other hand, was a disappointment in a negative sense. They looked more active at the start of the season, and according to reports, their budget was also reasonable. However, they made a very poor start to the championship. Although they tried to recover somewhat later on, overall their performance cannot be rated positively.

Imishli surprised in a good way. They played attractive football, sometimes competed on equal terms with the leaders, and collected a solid number of points. Proper coaching work and a clear team playing style were evident.”

Musayev also noted that Sabah’s winter championship title was unexpected:

“Among the teams at the top of the table, Sabah performed particularly well. Along with consecutive victories, they displayed attractive and consistent football. As for Qarabag, we are used to seeing stable performances from them every season. This year, the demanding schedule in the Champions League somewhat prevented the team from fully focusing on the domestic league. Still, it is pleasing that they played very well in the Champions League. In the league, however, we saw them in positions we are not accustomed to. I believe Qarabag will become even stronger from now on.

Zira and Turan Tovuz remained faithful to the playing styles they had last season. Frankly, I do not think either team has the strength to compete with Qarabag and Sabah for the championship, which is why they are positioned where they are.

Neftchi was expected to join the title race at the start of the season, as the management had created all the necessary conditions for the club. Unfortunately, they performed well below expectations. I hope the team will recover in the second half of the season.”

It should be noted that the matches of the 17th round will kick off on January 23 and will last for two days.