“Our players fought until the end”

Following the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round first-leg match between “Shkendija” and “Qarabag” (0:1), our head coach Gurban Gurbanov shared his thoughts. The experienced manager evaluated the game at the post-match press conference in North Macedonia:

“I want to thank our players — they fought until the very end. In matches like this, it’s crucial not to lose focus until the final whistle. Our players managed to play for the result, and I congratulate them. I also want to say kind words about our opponent. They had won both matches in the previous round. With today’s performance, they proved that those victories were well-deserved against a strong team. They put us under serious pressure as well. Returning with a win from an away game against such an opponent is a big advantage. However, we must be more focused and serious in Baku because we’re facing a team that doesn’t like to lose.”

The head coach also praised the atmosphere created by the fans in the stadium: “Fans are what make football beautiful — this kind of atmosphere. Playing in such a good stadium, in front of so many fans, made the match even more exciting. This environment gave ‘Shkendija’ an extra boost of motivation. I thank both the home fans and the opposing team for the great atmosphere and entertaining game.”