After five games in the UEFA Europa League, Qarabag has just 3 points and sits in 32nd place. Can the team secure a spot in the playoffs?
According to Idman.biz, only three rounds remain in the group stage. Currently, Qarabag is two points behind the top 24 teams, who qualify for the next stage. However, heavyweights like Roma and Porto, with 5-6 points, underline the intense competition.
Pre-tournament predictions by Opta suggested that a minimum of 10 points would be needed to qualify for the playoffs, with even 9 points possibly falling short. This means Qarabag must secure seven more points in the remaining three matches—two wins and one draw. Their upcoming fixtures include:
Away: Elfsborg (Sweden)
Away: Olympiacos (Greece)
Home: FCSB (Romania)
Qarabag has excelled in away games recently, winning 8 of their last 14 matches over two seasons. A victory against Elfsborg in the next round seems achievable, as the Swedish club is only one point and four places ahead of Qarabag in the standings. Elfsborg hasn’t won any of their last three games and finished 7th in their domestic league, 20 points behind champions Malmö.
If teams are tied on points at the end of the group stage, goal difference will be the deciding factor. Currently, Qarabag has a -9 goal difference, better only than Dynamo Kyiv’s -11. This poor figure is primarily due to conceding 13 goals—the highest in the competition so far.
Upcoming matches for Qarabag and rivals
Round 6 – December 12
• Elfsborg (Sweden) vs. Qarabag
• Olympiacos (Greece) vs. Twente (Netherlands)
• Hoffenheim (Germany) vs. FCSB (Romania)
Round 7 – January 23
• Porto (Portugal) vs. Olympiacos (Greece)
• Qarabag vs. FCSB (Romania)
Round 8 – January 30
• Olympiacos (Greece) vs. Qarabag
Idman.biz
