Photo by Aziz Karimov/Getty Images
Photo by Aziz Karimov/Getty Images
Manchester United take on an unknown quantity in the Champions League in Azerbaijani side FK Sabah.
This week Manchester United finally return to the Champions League for the first time since early elimination from the competition in 2023.
The first of United’s group stage opponents are Sabah, a club formed after Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
United are heavy favourites for the contest at Old Trafford, but must beware the fearless Champions League newcomers.
United In Focus teamed up with The Sweeper podcast to take a look at the threat posed by Sabah.
The Sweeper’s world football expert Paul Watson says despite their underdog status, Sabah shouldn’t be taken lightly.
He explained: “Sabah were unseeded in each of their four Champions League qualifying games but upset the odds each time, so you underestimate them at your peril.
“They are an aggressive side and tactically coach Dambrauskas is impressive, with the ability to pivot quickly to a Plan B or even Plan C.
“Most of all, Sabah are mentally resilient which will be crucial when playing in the biggest game in their history.”
Sabah will also visit Arsenal later in the competition and host a game against Barcelona.
Sabah v H. Beer-Sheva - UEFA Champions League 2026/27 Play-Offs Second Leg
Photo by Aziz Karimov/Getty Images
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Here is a further look at everything you need to know about Sabah ahead of the big game…
Sabah’s quick rise
Sabah FK was founded on September 8, 2017, so it has taken just nine years to go from zero to Champions League kick-off at Old Trafford.
They’ve wasted no time in flying through the leagues and usurping Qarabag who had won 11 of the previous 12 league titles and last season went on a Champions League run of their own, before losing to
Newcastle United in the knockout phase play-offs.
Sabah’s manager’s journey
Sabah boss Valdas Dambrauskas is the first Lithuanian to lead a club into this stage of the Champions League.
The 49-year-old appeared on the Lithuanian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire back at the start of his career and won around $1,000 which he used to move to London and take his coaching badges.
Dambrauskas’s first job in senior management was at Kingsbury London Tigers FC in the Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division but he never looked back, winning silverware in Lithuania,
Bulgaria, Latvia and Croatia before joining Sabah.
Sabah’s stars
A whole range of nationalities feature in Sabah’s squad with players from Guadeloupe, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Jamaica, Croatia, Serbia, France, Poland, Brazil, Curaçao, Algeria, Portugal, Kazakhstan
and Gabon.
One of Sabah’s heroes in Europe so far has been Rwanda international Joy-Lance Mickels who made his international debut in March 2026 alongside both his twin brother Joy-Slayd and his younger brother Leroy-Jacques.
Mickels has netted 28 goals in 49 games for Sabah and scored a hat-trick last weekend against Zira.
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Battle to qualify
While Manchester United’s European adventure is just kicking off, Sabah have already navigated four qualification ties. The play-off round win over Israel’s Hapoel Be’er Sheva that booked their place in the League phase went to the wire.
Sabah needed a 94th-minute equaliser to take it to extra-time where they scored two decisive goals.
Eye-catching kit
Sabah are the first team with pink as one of their first kit colours to reach this stage of the Champions League.
They started off playing in blue and white but adopted pink and black as their official colours on their kit and badge in homage to Lake Masazir in the club’s hometown. The lake is known for its distinctive pink colour.