"Currently, Neftchi has nothing to lose."

Veteran footballer and coach Tarlan Ahmadov made this statement in an interview with Offsideplus.az. The specialist shared his thoughts on the upcoming Neftchi vs Qarabağ match in Round 29 of the Misli Premier League:

"This match is extremely important for both teams. Above all, it’s about the names of the clubs. For many years, Neftchi has been the flagship of Azerbaijani football, while Qarabağ has been the dominant force in recent years. Beyond the matter of prestige, this game holds great significance in terms of the league standings.

If Neftchi wins this match, they will move closer to fourth place. If Qarabag wins, although they are in second, they will close the gap on the leaders with their points tally. In any case, they must win this game to strengthen their position in second place.

I believe the match will be aggressive. Neftchi has shown good results in recent games. Nevertheless, the team still makes serious mistakes in some matches, especially gross errors in defense. I hope Neftchi will display a more interesting performance from now on.

Qarabag has been struggling slightly in attack lately. There are also problems in defense. Both the fatigue from the Champions League and certain internal issues within the team are manifesting on the pitch. Taking all these nuances into account, I believe Neftchi has the advantage."

The Neftchi vs Qarabag match is scheduled to kick off on April 26 at 19:00.