Qarabag FK boss Gurban Gurbanov has been speaking ahead of facing Newcastle United.
The Head Coach holding his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
The Champions League play-off is a 5.45pm (GMT) kick-off on Wednesday.
Gurban Gurbanov declaring: “Newcastle United are a well-known and well-established club. They have a style of play that does not suit us. No team in England wants to play against Newcastle because they do not allow their opponents to play their game.”
Having reached this stage of the Champions League, Qarabag FK (pictured below when losing 2-0 away to Napoli in November) are clearly no pushovers.
Gurbanov though does see his team as the underdogs: “We want to play a brave, intelligent game on our own pitch. Our opponents have the edge on us in a number of ways but I believe my players will give their best.”
Having defeated Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Copenhagan, the team from Azerbaijan have shown they can be competitive in the Champions League.
Whilst they were unlucky to have to settle for a draw after leading 2-1 at home to Chelsea.
The Qarabag FK chief going on to say: “It is a game where we can gain a lot of experience. It is the first time in the history of Azerbaijani football that we will play in the play-off stage of the Champions League. Especially since we will play against a club as well established as Newcastle United. It is a team that comes from the number one championship in the world. We had little time to prepare for the game. But overall, our players are acting very responsibly and are excited. They are looking forward to tomorrow’s match. Each of them is thinking of playing one of their best games. We will try to fight well on our home field, in front of our fans, play smartly and bravely. I believe that our players will try to show their best side.”
Colombian winger Camilo Duran is also looking forward to the Newcastle United challenge: “We are aware that a historic and difficult game awaits us. We will play in front of our native fans. We will face a very strong opponent. We will do our best to please our fans and achieve a successful result.”