What a moment for Qarabag! Coach Gurban Gurbanov practically glowed after his team’s stunning 3-2 victory in Lisbon. “This win at the Luz stadium is truly historic,” he shared, his voice still buzzing with excitement. For an Azerbaijani team making its Champions League debut, it simply doesn’t get much better than this.
Gurbanov was quick to praise his squad, recognizing the tough opponent they faced. He knew Benfica was a powerhouse, so he expected some hiccups along the way. Yet, his players buckled down and worked incredibly hard. Looking back, he even felt they left a few goals out there. “We honestly could have scored more,” he noted, a hint of what-if in his tone.
Despite the scoreline, Gurbanov shut down any talk of an easy win. He called it “an important result,” emphasizing the significance for his club and the entire history of Azerbaijani football. He stressed that beating Benfica didn’t mean the Portuguese giants were weak. Quite the opposite, Qarabag had simply played a fantastic game.
He saw his players as intelligent and sensible throughout the match. Their confidence grew after that first goal, a feeling he cherished. Before the game even kicked off, he gave them a simple message: “Enjoy it! This is the Champions League. We have to be brave.” He wanted them to play freely, always striving to improve, no matter how the game unfolded. The team certainly delivered on that front. “My players put in the effort,” Gurbanov added. “It wasn’t an easy victory by any stretch. Thank God we managed to pull it off.” Now, he’s just hoping for good fortune in the upcoming matches.