Turan Tovuz defender Faig Hajiyev speaks to Sportal.az.
- Turan Tovuz faced Sabah in the 22nd round of the Premier League and suffered a 1:2 defeat, despite a solid first-half performance. In your view, what led to the loss?
- As you mentioned, we played well in the first half. However, we couldn’t start the second half with full concentration. Sabah capitalized on this and scored two goals. Unfortunately, we ended up losing the match.
- There were a few controversial moments in this game. Specifically, before the first goal you conceded, there was an incident involving Rahim Sadigov, but the referee did not call a foul. Have you been able to move on from this match psychologically?
- Yes, there was a foul on Rahim Sadigov before their goal, but the referee didn’t see it. However, we can’t use that as an excuse. We’ve analyzed our mistakes and are now preparing for the upcoming matches. Our focus is on the next game.
- The match was a valuable opportunity for Turan Tovuz to climb the league table, especially as your main rivals, Araz-Nakhchivan failed to win, and Zira also suffered a loss. Does this make the defeat even more disappointing?
- Every defeat is disappointing. But the league is not decided by a single match – it’s a marathon. We will keep fighting, and time will tell how things turn out.
- How do you assess Turan Tovuz’s chances of finishing in 2nd or 3rd place? You’ll be playing against Araz-Nakhchivan in the next round. Do you believe you can reach your goal?
- Our goal is to collect as many points as possible until the end of the season. We’ll approach the Araz-Nakhchivan match with the same mindset – aiming to win. I hope we can achieve our target, though it won’t be an easy match.
- You haven’t managed to beat Araz-Nakhchivan this season. Does that motivate you, or does it create extra pressure?
- Of course, it motivates us. I don’t feel any pressure or tension. We’ll prepare well and do our best to win.
- From the 2024/2025 season, the foreign player limit will be removed. Many local players are concerned about this change. What’s your opinion? Could it make securing a starting spot or finding a club more difficult?
- The decision has already been made. Saying anything now won’t change a thing. We’ll see how it impacts our football in the future. For us, the focus is on working hard and proving ourselves as key players in our respective clubs.
Idman.biz
Faig Hajiyev: “Saying anything now won’t change a thing” - INTERVIEW
