Sabah FK make their Champions League debut against Manchester United tonight - but who are the Azerbaijan Premier League champions, and how did they get here?
Valdas Dambrauskas celebrating with his Sabah team
Valdas Dambrauskas celebrating with his Sabah team (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United's first Champions League opponents of the season did not even exist 10 years ago. But at Old Trafford on Thursday night, Sabah FK will compete against some of the world's top players. They are Azerbaijan champions and already played a host of matches to reach the league phase.
Sabah are led by manager Valdas Dambrauskas, who launched his coaching career off of winnings from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Curiously, he also worked with United and now takes charge of Sabah on a historic day for the club, having beaten Welsh giants TNS in the first of their four qualifying rounds.
Finnish outfit KuPS and Denmark's AGF were also dispatched before the Azerbaijani side prevailed in a thrilling play-off against Israeli title holders Hapoel Be'er Sheva. They made it heart-stopping, though, netting in the fourth minute of stoppage time to force extra-time before sealing a 6-4 aggregate triumph.
Their Lithuanian manager, Dambrauskas, launched his coaching career in England after pocketing £725 on 'Millionaire' in 2002 - the equivalent of six months' salary in his homeland at the time - and investing it in his education at London Metropolitan University.
He pursued sports science and coaching on Holloway Road, just a stone's throw from Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, where he will make his return with his squad in January.
"From the day I arrived, it was all about the dream to become a football coach," he told Flashscore in August.
"It went in stages. First to learn the language. Then to sign up for the Level 1 Coaching course. Then to the Level 2 Coaching course. Then to gain experience with my first coaching session in youth football. Then to get a job in some pro or semi-pro club academy. Then a Sports Science and Coaching degree at university.
"I went to every possible course or conference to improve myself. Then I started to dream and plan how to get a job in professional football. I knew in England it would be impossible, but I would get a chance in my home country."
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Earlier in his career, Dambrauskas took on youth coaching positions at several English clubs, including a stint at United's soccer schools. The 49-year-old went on to claim titles in Lithuania and Bulgaria before guiding Sabah to a domestic double in his debut season.
Head coach of Sabah Valdas Dambrauskas looks on.
Head coach of Sabah Valdas Dambrauskas looks on. (Image: Getty Images)
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He attributes a period working with Brentford as a pivotal stepping stone towards his eventual success. "I understood that to be a professional football coach in England and move up, to be a head coach or manager, was impossible," he said.
"With my Lithuanian passport, with the country's name that nobody can pronounce, with my surname that nobody can pronounce and, on top of that, I was never a professional player. But I knew that my experience from Brentford, as well as my coaching badges, could give me a chance somewhere else."
His side's triumph owes much to Joy-Lance Mickels, the German-born Rwanda striker who netted 23 goals last season. The 32-year-old is enjoying his second stint at the club, having rejoined following a year with Al-Faisaly in Saudi Arabia.
Additional key figures from last season's championship campaign include Aaron Malouda, son of former Chelsea and France winger Florent, who departed for Basel after netting nine times last term. Nevertheless, United's opponents have been forced to think imaginatively regarding their summer signings.
Amongst their fresh arrivals this term are South African defender Aden McCarthy, brought in from Kaizer Chiefs, and former Sheffield United winger Christian Nwachukwu. They have also secured Younes Lachaab on loan from Lille, with the 21-year-old having already featured for his parent club in the Champions League.
Dambrauskas' side found the net 75 times in 33 league matches last term, and his offensive approach has proved invigorating. He has cited Arsene Wenger and Marcelo Bielsa as influences, alongside former United interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
"If one word can describe my way, it would be domination," he said after his team secured their place in the Champions League. "I am not afraid to take risks. The best result for me would be 4-3 with four different players scoring and four different players giving an assist."