Razgrad, Sofia and Baku find themselves in a completely different football reality at the end of July 2026. The football community in Bulgaria still remembers the nightmare night of August 13, 2024, when Azerbaijani champion FC Qarabag crushed Ludogorets with a ruthless 7:2 in the middle of the “Huvepharma Arena“.
As of today, however, Gurban Gurbanov's squad looks radically different, and the upcoming rematch against CSKA in Sofia on July 30 finds both teams in delicate positions after the goalless draw in the first leg in Azerbaijan.
The Big Change: The Departure of Key Figures
The main reason why the current Qarabag does not resemble the “executioner“ of 2024 is the large-scale personnel change in the club structure of the Azerbaijanis. During the last transfer windows, the club was forced to part with some of its most influential figures on the field.
- Transfer shocks: Young hope Nariman Akhundzadeh was transferred to the American MLS (Columbus Crew). This deprived the team of explosiveness on the flanks.
- New additions: Athletes such as Danny Bolt, Pedro Bikallo, Chris Kwaku and Sami Mmae were brought into the team. They are still looking for the optimal synchronization.
- Lack of balance: The process of integrating new names takes time, which affects the results in European tournaments.
Anatomy of a metamorphosis: What has changed since 2024.
To understand why the current Karabakh is vulnerable, we need to remember who the architects of the defeat in Razgrad were. That night, the Azerbaijanis demonstrated brutal efficiency, Flashscore recalls:
Juninho: 1 goal, remains a key striker, the subject of transfer speculation, with fatigue from the busy cycle.
Yassin Benzia: 2 goals, advancing age, lower intensity in the press
Patrick Andrade: 2 goals in overtime. He has moved into the role of a rotational player, a decline in physical performance.
Nariman Akhundzadeh: 1 goal in overtime, sold to Columbus Crew (MLS).
Toral Bayramov: 1 goal from a penalty, remains a mainstay, but loaded with defensive functions.
How do they view CSKA in Baku before the second leg?
On the eve of the match at the National Stadium “Vasil Levski“, the sports analysts in Baku define the chances of success as completely equal (50 to 50). The first clash, which ended 0:0 at the “Tofik Bahramov“ stadium, showed that Qarabag is having serious problems overcoming an organized defensive block. Local media in Azerbaijan report that their team has lost much of its brilliance in attack, but remains confident due to the greater international experience of their players.
At the same time, however, in Baku they surprisingly find reason for optimism in the opponent's camp. The Azerbaijani press is commenting on the harsh criticism in Bulgaria against the chaotic game of CSKA. The coach of the “red” Hristo Yanev is under serious pressure from fans and experts due to the obvious lack of upgrade in tactical terms.
The question of the second leg: Will CSKA manage to score a goal in extra time?
Despite the victory in the championship over Botev Plovdiv with 3:2, where Joel Zvarts shone with two goals, the play in the front positions of CSKA remains inconsistent. For the second leg with Qarabag Yanev plans to rely on the same starting lineup from Baku, hoping for the speed of Ioannis Pitas and Santiago Godoy. The main dilemma for the fans is whether the “army“ will be able to take advantage of the slow transition of the Azerbaijanis in defense and score the precious goal.
- Arguments „FOR“: Qarabag no longer has Akhundzadeh's speed on the flanks and shows defensive vulnerability against dynamic pressing. Home advantage and support from the stands can compensate for tactical chaos.
- Arguments “AGAINST“: The lack of built-in automatisms with Yanev leads to easy unprovoked mistakes. Against an experienced tournament fighter like Qarabag, any chaos in the middle of the field could prove fatal.
The final showdown is coming up on Thursday night in Sofia. This Qarabag is definitely not the scary monster from Razgrad, but whether CSKA's hesitant tactical model will find the strength to do something more remains to be seen.