"Looking at the results of the friendly matches, we can see some imbalance."
This statement was made by Arif Asadov, the former coach of the Azerbaijani national team, in an interview with Idman.biz.
He evaluated the teams’ preparations for the championship: "Just like last year, this year the winter break is short. Our clubs usually go to Antalya during a longer preparation period, play against teams from different countries, and test new players because the transfer window is open. In short, the preparation period used to be more productive. This year, however, because the period is short, only ‘Turan Tovuz’ went on a trip, and they justified this decision by saying there was no proper condition. The rest of the clubs are preparing within Azerbaijan. It seems that most teams are planning to play two matches. ‘Neftchi’ has not played a match yet. Considering that the league starts in a few days, it means some of our clubs will only play one match. In fact, in such matches, the result is not important. What matters is balancing the players’ physical condition and preparing them for the game plan."
The experienced coach also noted that the upcoming matches in the Misli Premier League will be more exciting: "There are some clubs that have invited new players. Although there haven’t been many transfers, some clubs have strengthened their squads with one or two players. Turan Tovuz seems to be the most active in this regard. The team has already signed three new players. Sabail has also added new players to their squad. After this, teams will focus on the league matches. I wish all our teams success in the second round. We are about to witness intense competition, especially for the Europa League spots."
The winter break in the Premier League will end on January 17.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
