Qarabag take on the visitors Rakow in the second leg of UEFA Champions League qualification quarterfinals. The first leg: 2-3. The match will be played on Wednesday, August 2nd at Azersun Arena (Baku).
Qarabag always sets ambitious goals.
The Horses have become the main showcase of local football ambitions, and they are indeed significant. Azerbaijan's financial capabilities, fueled by its oil resources, allow them to bring in renowned coaches for their national team, albeit with limited success. However, on the club level, Qarabag have managed to establish itself as a dominant force, not only winning 9 national championship titles in the last decade but also proving to be a formidable contender in European competitions. Although they have only reached the group stage of the Champions League once, in 2017, they consistently compete in the qualification rounds, like they did last year when they overcame Victoria Plzen but secured a third-place finish in the Europa League group stage, narrowly losing to Gent in the Conference League playoffs. In a thrilling match against Radomiak, they managed to secure a 3-2 victory with a late goal by Redon Gjimshiti in the 75th minute.
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Rakow are making its debut at this level. The Medalony (Medallions) were founded back in 1921 but were a mid-tier team in the Polish leagues for the most part. At one point, they even found themselves in the third division of Polish football in the mid-2000s. However, they made a swift return to the top flight and started achieving remarkable results. In 2021, they had an impressive triple: finishing second in the league, winning the Polish Cup, and claiming the Super Cup. The following season mirrored the previous one, with a strong performance in the Conference League as well – they defeated two opponents in the early stages before being eliminated by Slavia Prague after a home victory. Most notably, they clinched their maiden Ekstraklasa title in the last season! In their Champions League debut, they faced Flora from neighboring Estonia and won both matches convincingly (1-0 and 3-0). However, their second-leg encounter with the Azerbaijani team showed some signs of complacency as they conceded two goals in their own net, but ultimately managed to secure a 3-2 win thanks to a late goal by Lukas Kwasniak.
This will be only the third time Rakow will face a team from Azerbaijan in European competitions, making it an interesting encounter. While the Polish side demonstrated vulnerabilities at home, they will face a tough challenge in Baku. We place our bet on a home victory for the reigning champions of Azerbaijan.
Prediction for the match: Qarabag to win.
