Qarabağ – Marseille, facts and stats
Qarabağ, the first representative of Azerbaijan in European club competitions in the spring, receives Marseille after a 3-1 defeat at the end of the first leg of the play-offs for the knockout phase.
Qarabag – Marseille, the match
Qarabağ, the first representative of Azerbaijan in European club competitions in the spring, receives Marseille after a 3-1 defeat at the end of the first leg of the play-offs for the knockout phase.
• The French club finished third in UEFA Europa League Group E, behind Galatasaray and Lazio, but only won their last match.
• Qarabağ’s only loss in UEFA Europa Conference League Group H also came on Matchday 6, 3-0 away to Basel, who moved ahead of them to top the group.
Previous meetings
• The first leg at the Stade Vélodrome – Marseille’s first game against a side from Azerbaijan – resulted in a second consecutive European victory for the French side and two consecutive continental defeats for Qarabağ.
• In the first leg, Polish international Arkadiusz Milik struck twice just before half-time to give OM a clear lead, and although Kady closed the gap in the 85th minute, Marseille regained their distance in additional time thanks to substitute Dimitri Payet.
• Qarabağ have yet to win in seven UEFA games against French opponents. His three games in Azerbaijan against the French resulted in a loss and two draws, the latter of which was 1-1 against Monaco in the 2015/16 UEFA Europa League group stage – at the desired rate he scored their first goal against French visitors.
About the teams
Qarabag
• Although his seven-year reign as Azerbaijani champions came to an end last season, with a two-point deficit over Neftçi, Qarabağ remained unbeaten in this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying phase. season to reach a European group stage for the eighth consecutive season – all under long-time manager Gurban Gurbanov.
• After knocking out Ashdod, AEL Limassol and, for their eighth consecutive European play-off victory, Aberdeen over the summer, Qarabağ managed to extricate themselves from Group H. A 0-0 draw at home to Basel was followed by three successive victories, including two 2-1 victories against Kairat Almaty, which saw the Baku side secure a place among the two – and a historic first qualification for the knockout stage of UEFA – with two games less.
• Qarabağ have won three and drawn three in their six European home games this season, taking their unbeaten run in Baku against continental opponents to ten games (including five wins) since a 0-3 loss to Sevilla in the matchday one of the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League.
• After losing their first seven UEFA double ties in the first leg, losing away in the first leg, Qarabağ managed to come back in each of the last three – all UEFA Europa League play-offs – against IFK Gothenburg in 2016/17 (0-1, 3-0), Sheriff Tiraspol in 2018/19 (0-1, 3-0) and Linfield in 2019/20 (2-3, 2-1).
• Qarabağ have lost the first leg 3-1 away only once in European competition, in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League play-offs, against Twente, only to find themselves eliminated after a draw 0-0 on the return.
Marseilles
• Fifth in Ligue 1 last season, which they finished under current manager Jorge Sampaoli, who arrived in February, Marseille returned to the UEFA Europa League for a fifth appearance in the group stage – a record for a French club.
• Marseille finished fourth in their UEFA Champions League group last season behind Manchester City, Porto and Olympiacos.
• OM suffered their third failure in the UEFA Europa League group stage this season, drawing their first four games before giving up any chance of continuing their journey with a 4-2 defeat at Galatasaray on the fifth day.
• For Marseille, a 1-0 home win against Lokomotiv Moscow then secured third place with seven points, five more than the Russian club.
• Marseille have won 15 of 21 UEFA double ties in the past, including Les Provençaux taking the home lead in the first leg, and have done so four times in their run to the UEFA Europa League final 2017/18, notably in the round of 16 against Athletic, where he won the first leg 3-1. The only other time OM have won the first leg at home by this scoreline, against Zenit in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup round of 16, they lost the second leg 2-0 and were eliminated by the future. winners of the competition. It was the last time OM lost a European game after winning the first leg at home; he has triumphed in the last six encounters.
Squad changes for the UEFA Europa Conference League
Qarabag
Added: Rustam Akhmedadze (Mynai), Luka Gugeshashvili (Jagiellonia Białystok, loan), Leandro Andrade (Cherno More Varna)
Retired: Huseyn Huseynzade, Gaspar Panadero, Jaime Romero
Marseilles
Added: Cédric Bakambu (Beijing Guoan), Sead Kolašinac (Arsenal)
Retired: Jordan Amavi (Nice, loan), Luis Henrique
We know each other…
• Qarabağ winger Abdellah Zoubir was born in France and played in France at Grenoble (2012), Istres (2013, 2014/15) and Lens (2016-18).
• Marseille midfielder Matteo Guendouzi scored for Arsenal against Qarabağ in Baku on 4 October 2018 in the UEFA Europa League group stage. It was the first but of his professional career.
• Guendouzi also came on as a substitute in the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League final in Baku, which the Gunners lost 4-1 to Chelsea. OM’s winter recruit, Sead Kolašinac started in both games Arsenal played in Baku that season.
On penalties
• Qarabağ record on penalties UEFA, 1 loss:
5-6 v Molde, 2020/21 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round
• Record of Marseille in three UEFA penalty shootouts, 2 wins, 1 loss:
3-5 v Crvena zvezda, 1990/91 European Champion Clubs’ Cup final
4-1 v Germinal Beerschot, 2005/06 UEFA Cup first round
7-6 v FC Twente, 2008/09 UEFA Cup Round of 16
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