Idman.biz reports that the former Azerbaijan national football team defender Zaur Hashimov spoke to Sportal.az:
- Today, the Azerbaijan national team will face Estonia in Gabala. What are your expectations for this match?
- My only expectation is a victory. We are stronger than Estonia in terms of squad quality. Moreover, it's time to win and bring joy to our fans. I believe this is a great opportunity, and I wish our team success.
- Azerbaijan lost to Estonia in Tallinn. Could this match be a chance for a good revenge and a motivational boost?
- This match is like a final for our team. Wearing the national team jersey is a great motivation. There must be a sense of revenge, and I believe it will be there.
- Unlike previous gatherings, this time the national team has been together for a longer period. This could mean that head coach Fernando Santos has had a better chance to instill his football philosophy in the players.
- Santos has already led the team in four matches. He knows the players better now and is more familiar with their potential. This time, he has had more time to prepare the team for the game. I believe we will see the results of this preparation on the field today.
- There should be no excuses if the team fails to beat Estonia. Will a draw be acceptable?
- We must beat Estonia. We should not think about a draw. We should focus solely on victory. I hope the Azerbaijan national team will secure a positive result.
- If the team loses this match, they will likely be relegated to Division D. Would that be considered a major failure? After all, Santos was brought in to help, but he might not be able to keep the team in Division C...
- Yes, a loss to Estonia would send us to Division D. The players and coaching staff understand this well. If we had a stronger team in our group instead of Estonia, we might have had a more optimistic outlook. None of us want to finish last in the group behind Estonia. Let's hope everything turns out well.
Idman.biz
