Sabah will visit Viking on Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League league phase. We contacted former Azerbaijan head coach Vaqif Sadiqov to ask for his thoughts on the match.
He told Fanat.az:
“Tactics and fitness will be key in this match. Norwegian clubs are usually known for their high fitness levels, quick attacks down the flanks and effectiveness at set pieces. I think our champions understand that well.
Given that Viking have been very active in attack in their matches so far and have managed to score in almost every game, their attacking potential must be taken into account. Even when they have not achieved the result they wanted in some matches, they have created scoring opportunities. Moreover, as Viking will be playing at home, they will try to play aggressive, dominant football.
In these circumstances, Sabah must defend with discipline and exploit the spaces their opponents leave at the back through quick counter-attacks.
One of Sabah’s strengths is their high level of motivation in this competition. For example, when we saw at the draw that Viking would be our opponents, we felt it was possible to take points against this team. I believe Sabah’s motivation is at its highest ahead of the trip to Norway. Every point they earn is hugely important for the team and could affect their position in the table.
As for the result, I think the teams’ chances are equal. If Sabah can score early, their chances of winning will increase considerably. That would disrupt their opponents’ game plan, and as they commit more players forward, gaps would open up in their defence. Sabah could make good use of that.
All that remains for us is to rally around Sabah and wish our team success. We want our representatives to produce another assured performance, regardless of the result, just as they have in their previous Champions League matches. We hope Sabah return from Norway with a result that makes us all happy.”
The match will take place at Lyse Arena in Stavanger on 4 November at 00:00 Baku time (21:00 local time).
Alisahib Ibrahimli
This article was translated from Azerbaijani with the help of AI. Original in Azerbaijani
