Samir Aliyev, the former head coach of the Azerbaijan U-21 football team, has shared his thoughts on the team’s opponents in the European Championship qualifiers, noting that the competition in the previous cycle was tougher.
In an interview with Report, Aliyev pointed out that some of the current opponents were not at the same level as those faced in the past, Idman.biz reports.
He explained, “In the draw, there are no weak opponents. Some teams are ahead of us in football terms. If we compare, I believe the opponents in the previous cycle were stronger. For example, we had a friendly match with Bulgaria in Baku—they are not at a high level. Also, Gibraltar is not a strong team. In the last cycle, Luxembourg, who were in our group, was a tougher opponent than Gibraltar. England, Ukraine, and Serbia were also higher-level teams. Of course, Portugal and Czech Republic are strong too. If I’m not mistaken, the Czech Republic qualified for the final stage of the European Championship. They are teams that always play in these stages.”
Aliyev emphasized that much depends on Azerbaijan's U21 team: “It is clear that Gibraltar cannot be compared to us. However, we must respect this opponent and not assume that we already have 6 points in our pocket. Yes, it is tough to get a significant result in this group. Nevertheless, we have gained international experience in the previous cycle. I believe this will help the players.”
Azerbaijan’s U-21 team will compete in Group B of the European Championship Qualifiers, alongside Portugal, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Scotland, and Gibraltar. The final tournament will take place in 2027 in Serbia and Albania.
Idman.biz
