The ECHO spoke to the Qarabag fans who have travelled 2,000 miles to Liverpool about the importance of their club to Azerbaijan and why the occasion at Anfield is so special
Four students from Azerbaijan, who are now based in London, have travelled to the match at Anfield
Four students from Azerbaijan, who are now based in London, have travelled to the match at Anfield(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
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For many Liverpool fans still reeling from the back of a disappointing defeat to Bournemouth, it's fair to say there isn't too much excitement around tonight's match against Qarabag. The Reds have all but sealed their progression into the Champions League knockout stage and Arne Slot's side just need to avoid a shock defeat to book their automatic progression into the last 16 and hope the squad have got themselves out of this rut in March.
However, the mood among their opponents couldn't be more different as there is a real belief amongst the support the Azerbaijan champions could make history tonight. After an incredible run in this season's competition, that has included wins against Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Benfica, Qarabag have a very real chance of becoming the first team from their country to ever qualify for the knockout stages.
Rufat Yusubov is one of the supporters who has made the 2,500-mile trip from Baku to Merseyside. The 48-year-old has followed Qarabag for many years and said this current side is a far cry from the Champions League fodder that got trounced 6-0 by Chelsea in 2017.
He told the ECHO in Liverpool today: "Most important is we are not coming here as outsiders. We are not just a weak team. We are coming here to make history. And we have almost made history. We are almost there."
The occasion is particularly special for Rufat as he is attending a match in England for the first time with his son, Fahri, who is studying in Brighton. He added: "I like Liverpool and I like history. We are realistic. We are not expecting a miracle. But being in Anfield against Liverpool, the most iconic stadium in the world, it's already really exciting. Whatever the score tonight."
Rufat and Fahri Yusabov ahead of the game tonight
Rufat and Fahri Yusabov ahead of the game tonight
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Strikingly for someone who has travelled so far to watch Qarabag, Rufat is originally a supporter of another Azerbaijan team, Neftçi PFK. However, Qarabag boast a special place for everyone in the nation for what they represent as they are known as the team of the refugees after Aghdam, the city in which they were originally based, was destroyed by Armenian forces in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War
Rufat said: "Qarabag is from the lost city. The city in the Qarabag region was occupied by Armenian forces for about 30 years. The city was completely ruined so they are the team of internally displaced. They played in different stadiums, they didn't have a club sponsor. Because of name, Qarabag represents a region which is long ago under occupation.
"I am an Neftçi PFK fan, which has a longer history than Qarabag, but every person in the country supports Qarabag because they represent the area which made almost one million people refugees after the occupation."
Emin Musaev's mum was originally from Aghdam and the family relocated to Baku after the war in the early 1990s. Emin is now based in Amsterdam and he is so proud Qarabag is punching above its weight on the world stage.
Emin Musaev with the Azerbaijan flag in Liverpool today
Emin Musaev with the Azerbaijan flag in Liverpool today
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The 29-year-old told the ECHO how it was extra special to be attending the game tonight as he is also a Liverpool FC supporter. He said: "If you told me a couple of years ago that Liverpool would play against Qarabag at Anfield, I would have thought you were completely crazy, but today it is a dream come true to see the club from the motherland play against my favourite team."
Emin has visited Anfield before and said it will be a strange feeling to be in the away end. He added: "When I step foot into Anfield it's going to be a special moment, I will have goosebumps. I am pretty sure it will be the same feeling. What is weird is I will be in the away sector. I'm used to being in the Kop or Sir Kenny Dalglish stand.
"It is a bit bizarre, but quite exciting. I will definitely join in with You'll Never Walk Alone." Qarabag represents so much more to the people of Azerbaijan because they have helped modernise football in the country in a healthy way.
In addition to having a shirt sponsor that isn't an oil company, Rufat told the ECHO it has helped diversify the football fanbase to bring it into the modern era. The ECHO saw this first hand today as four female students all excitedly prepared for the game in Liverpool.
They reiterated the importance the club has to their home country as they looked forward to sampling what will be, for Qarabag fans at least, another famous European night under the floodlights of the L4 stadium.
One said: "It's a wonderful experience and we are very proud of that." Her friend added: "Today everybody's heart beats with Qarabag in Azerbaijan."