Another test for Qarabağ Caliber.Az forecast

Tonight, Qarabağ, one of the sixteen teams that advanced to the Champions League knockout stage, will continue its fight in Europe’s most prestigious club competition, facing English side Newcastle United (or simply Newcastle) for a spot in the Round of 16.

This comes after gruelling matches in terrible conditions—both weather-wise and on the pitch—against Shamakhi (twice) and Imishli in the Azerbaijan Premier League and Cup. It also follows the tense “cancelled or not cancelled” waiting game with Neftchi, as the rescheduling of their domestic league fixture hung in the balance.

And finally, there was the nervous situation surrounding the club’s goalkeeper, Mateusz Kochalski, who first said something clearly inappropriate in an interview with Polish media, and then got injured at the worst possible moment and place—almost leaving the Aghdam club without its starting goalkeeper right before the match against the British team.

Thank God, all the troubles are now behind, and ahead lies only one goal—defeat Newcastle in Baku. This doesn’t seem so far-fetched after Qarabağ’s performance in the Champions League group stage, and especially after the truly remarkable draw against the world club champions—English Chelsea (2:2).

Yes, of course, that was followed by a catastrophic defeat against another English powerhouse, Liverpool (0:6), but we shouldn’t forget that this happened when Qarabağ was already practically one foot in the knockout stage.

Can Gurban Gurbanov’s men work another miracle and advance to the Round of 16 by overcoming Newcastle over two legs? I’m sure the vast majority of readers at least nodded in agreement. And I am completely on their side—entirely setting aside personal sympathies. Here’s why.

Yes, Newcastle is a club with history and tradition. Founded in the late 19th century, in 1892, Newcastle is a four-time English champion and six-time FA Cup winner, and ranks ninth among the most decorated clubs in English football history.

Yes, legends of British football such as Chris Waddle, Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley, Paul Gascoigne, Andy Cole, and Alan Shearer once played here. But, firstly, today the team has barely managed to break into the top ten of the English Premier League and currently sits at the bottom of it. And secondly, Newcastle last won the league title exactly 99 years ago. The FA Cup? Newcastle lifted it for the last time 12 years before the birth of the father of this season’s top scorer, Harvey Barnes—famous footballer Paul Barnes. That was back in 1955!

And secondly, right now, apart from Harvey Barnes—who has played only once for the England national team—there’s hardly anyone to single out in the squad. Maybe Anthony Gordon, with a transfer value of €55 million, and Olympic champion Brazilian Bruno Guimarães, valued at €70 million. Although, how many times has Qarabağ already outclassed such sky-high valuations, beating clubs whose players’ combined market value doesn’t even reach €25 million!

Let’s also admit that none of this star trio—and even all three together—come close to the little fingers of former Newcastle legends like Alan Shearer or Paul Gascoigne.

And so, defeating an opponent like this, at least on their home turf with the support of their fans, is, frankly, a perfectly achievable task. Especially after Qarabağ has raised the bar of expectations to unprecedented heights with their performances. So why shouldn’t Gurban Gurbanov’s men live up to those expectations once again? Why shouldn’t Qarabağ overcome the tenth-placed Premier League team, when just a month ago they held the fifth-placed side—Chelsea—on equal terms here at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium?

Qarabağ has repeatedly proven that in football, nothing is impossible. So it is entirely possible that we will witness the impossible once again. You just have to believe it, not merely speculate. Isn’t that so, gentlemen?

By Vugar Vugarli, specially for Caliber.Az