Qarabağ v PAOK background
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Article summary
Qarabağ find themselves at the wrong end of UEFA Europa League Group J and needing a lift as draw specialists PAOK return to Azerbaijan, following an inconclusive trip in 2015.
Article top media content
Article body
Qarabağ can take encouragement from the results of PAOK's previous games against Azerbaijani opponents as they prepare to face the 'Two-Headed Eagle of the North' in Group J.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time, and this is Qarabağ's first experience of Greek opposition.
• PAOK played Gabala in last season's UEFA Europa League group stage, with both matches against the Azeri team ending 0-0.
Form guide
• Astra and Qarabağ have the worst defensive records so far in this group stage, with seven goals conceded each.
• Qarabağ are featuring in the UEFA Europa League group stage for the third campaign running but have yet to make it to the round of 32.
• PAOK are unbeaten in four European away games (W3 D1) and are regarded as draw specialists at this level. Four of their last eight group-stage fixtures have ended goalless. PAOK are joint top of the UEFA Europa League's charts for both draws (16, with Lazio) and goalless draws (7, with Liverpool).
• The Salonika outfit have qualified from three of their previous six UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns.
Links and trivia
• The journey from Salonika to Baku is around 2,300km.
• PAOK forward Stefanos Athanasiadis can make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance in this game.
• Qarabağ goalkeeper Bojan Šaranov (Ergotelis, 2015) and midfielder Míchel (AEK Athens, 2011) have played club football in Greece.
• PAOK striker Facundo Pereyra spent last season in Azerbaijan with Gabala; he came off the bench to figure in their 0-0 UEFA Europa League draw at home to PAOK.
• Former team-mates:
Dino Ndlovu (Qarabağ) & Efthymis Koulouris (PAOK) – Anorthosis, 2015–16
The coaches
• Qarabağ coach Gurban Gurbanov is Azerbaijan's highest-scoring international with 12 goals in 62 games and played in Russia and Ukraine as well as Azerbaijan. Coach since 2008, he has led Qarabağ to domestic championships in the last three campaigns.
• Vladimir Ivić took charge at PAOK in March this year following a spell as the club's youth coach. An attacking midfielder, he won three Serbian titles with Partizan and played for AEK Athens and Aris Thessaloniki before a four-season PAOK stint.