The bus of the Karabakh football club drives up to Heydar Aliyev International Airport. The team goes to the first match in the Europa League against the German “Freiburg.”
The head coach Gurban Gurbanov comes out and is almost immediately surrounded by journalists. Having briefly answering several questions, the steering “Karabakh” goes to the entrance to the country’s air gate. It is necessary to make a path of a couple of tens of meters to the registration rack in order to get a pre-prepared Boarding Pass. But this is not so simple. Even at the entrance to the airport, those who want to take a picture are approaching the airport. The mentor does not refuse anyone. The spontaneous photo shoot continued in the foyer of the airport. At some point, a small queue was formed from those who wish to take pictures …
The Haqqin.az correspondent also watched this entertaining process. And then I thought: here it is true folk love! Gurban Gurbanov today is undoubtedly the most popular person in Azerbaijani football. Or maybe in all domestic sports. The creator of success “Karabakh” enjoys great respect. And the point here is not only in the stunning summer campaign of the Agdam Club in the Champions League, which was not enough to the final triumph. And in the long -term stable work of Gurbanov, his words, actions and actions for many years …
Karabakh for the first time in almost two years invited a delegation of journalists on a trip to the European Cup match. Prior to this, such a visit took place on October 29, 2020, when the Agdam, in connection with the Patriotic War and the corresponding decision of UEFA, held their home matches in Istanbul. The champion of Azerbaijan that day received the Spanish Villarreal.
During this time, something has changed in Karabakh. In particular, Gundyuz Abbaszade became the new head of the club’s press service, for which, of course, this was also the first trip along with the large composition of journalists. Of the positive changes, it can be noted, for example, that this time the media leaders could calmly communicate with the players on board. There were no prohibitions that are usually during the flights of journalists along with football teams.
The plane, the following along the Baku route – Euroerport (Read more about the destination below), is preparing to take off. Director of Karabakh Emra Celkel, general manager Asif Askerov and Gurban Gurbanov greeted journalists on board. And then – more than five hours in the air. During this time, some of my colleagues managed to talk with the players, and sleep, and eat, and even work.