Sabah FK head coach Valdas Dambrauskas is looking to mastermind a historic upset against Manchester United
Sabah FK head coach Valdas Dambrauskas is looking to mastermind a historic upset against Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Those heading to Old Trafford tonight would be forgiven for not knowing too much about Manchester United's first Champions League opponents of the season. Sabah FK defied the odds to make it this far in Europe's most prestigious competition. This month, Sabah turn nine years old and celebrated this anniversary by running the gauntlet to reach the Champions League.
Their journey started in Wales against The New Saints (TNS) back in July. After progressing 4-1 on aggregate against the Cymru Premier side, Sabah defeated KuPS, AGF and finally Hapoel Be'er Sheva, to set up a date with the Reds.
"Sabah FK is a relatively young club that completely disrupted the traditional hierarchy of the Azerbaijan Premier League by securing the domestic double, the league title and the Azerbaijan Cup, in the 2025/26 season," Azerbaijani sports journalist Nargiz Mammadzada told MEN Sport. This rise to the top in Azerbaijan did not come by simply chucking money at the team though.