"I believe in Qarabagh"

Member of Parliament Agil Abbas shared his thoughts with Offsideplus.az ahead of the Azerbaijan champion's UEFA Champions League play-off clash against Newcastle tonight.

"They will perform better this time because they’ve surely learned their lesson. Even I try to write a better piece after a poor one. I’ve lived with a love for Qarabagh for 50 years; I’d never speak against them. Even in defeat, I say: it's football—you win some, you lose some.

There’s a Russian saying: everyone thinks they understand three things—football, policing, and cinema. Everyone has an opinion on how to film a movie or play a match, but most actually know nothing. People ask why we conceded six goals. It’s football—sometimes things just don't click. You don't turn your back on your team just because they lost."

He also expressed regret over Nariman Akhundzade’s departure: "I liked Nariman a lot. They bullied him until he gave up, even though he was a talented player. It's a shame he left. If I saw Nariman now, I’d give him a kiss. But I wouldn’t do the same for Addai. He holds onto the ball for too long, refuses to pass, and eventually loses it. I once jokingly wrote that Qarabagh should put Addai on the market and pay whoever is willing to take him off their hands."

It should be noted that the Newcastle - Qarabagh match will take place today at 00:00 Baku time in England. In the first leg held in Baku, Qarabagh lost to their opponent with a score of 1:6.