UEFA spotlight on Qarabağ FK: Zoubir’s leadership fuels club’s remarkable journey

Qarabağ FK is “delivering surprises” in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League season, despite entering the tournament for only the second time in its history, UEFA said in a feature published on its official website, Caliber.Az reports.

“Having qualified for the UEFA Champions League for only the second time in their history, Qarabağ FK continue to deliver surprises in the 2025/26 season,” UEFA said.

The piece highlights Qarabağ’s impressive campaign under long-time head coach Gurban Gurbanov, noting the team’s victories over Benfica and Copenhagen, as well as a strong home performance that earned a draw against Chelsea.

Club captain Abdellah Zoubir shared his impressions: “When I joined Qarabağ, my goal was to play in the Champions League. I enjoyed playing in the Europa League and the Conference League, but the Champions League is something else. When you see the excitement—the stadium, the fans, especially when we play at home—the enthusiasm is incredible.”

The article notes that despite Qarabağ’s domestic dominance — winning 11 of the last 12 Azerbaijan Premier League titles — the club had often struggled to qualify for Europe’s top competition.

Zoubir joined Qarabağ in the summer of 2018, just after the club’s first appearance in the Champions League group stage.

“In recent years, the level of professionalism has increased in many areas: nutrition, training, and also in terms of workload,” Zoubir said. “The club has changed a lot, and today we see the results of several years of work.”

Raised in France, Zoubir said he had always dreamed of becoming a professional footballer and playing in the Champions League — a dream he is now living.

“I come from a working-class neighbourhood where not many players become professionals,” he said. “The chances of playing football were very small. When you start playing football in your neighbourhood, you always tell yourself: ‘One day I will play in the Champions League.’ And when I came to Qarabağ, I realised I had that chance.”

As team captain, Zoubir also expressed pride in leading Qarabağ onto the pitch against Europe’s strongest clubs.

“I am very proud to captain Qarabağ in the Champions League. It’s an unforgettable experience — one I will never forget,” he said.

By Khagan Isayev