Qarabag – Twente

The hosts won't concede in the rematch on their home turf.

Qarabag spent the previous season in the Champions League. Not only did they shine in the qualifiers, but they also managed to reach the group stage, after which they faced Newcastle in the playoff round. The team's concerns on the European stage were so distracting that they pulled them away from the events of the domestic championship, and for the first time in many years Qarabag failed to become first, handing the league title to Sabah Baku. Indeed, on Tuesday the capital's club also advanced to the group stage of the Champions League, underscoring the rising level of football in Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Qarabag is one step away from reaching the group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League. The other thing is that even in the qualifiers of the secondary continental tournaments the Agdam-based club faced difficulties. Already in the second qualifying round Qarabag drew twice with Levski and lost to the opponent in a penalty shootout. Having reached the Europa Conference League and risking to be left without European cups in the autumn of this year, the Azerbaijani vice-champion began to worry. First, after two matches they managed to beat Dynamo Kyiv, and the first leg of the tie with Twente brought Qarabag a somewhat unexpected victory. The Dutch side had the upper hand for most of the match, but early in the second half they conceded a goal to Kadi Borjes. By all statistical indicators except for the scoreboard, Twente had the advantage. This team has in recent years consistently earned places in European competitions by finishing high in the Netherlands' Eredivisie, and last season competed fairly successfully in the Europa League group stage, earning the right to contest the Round of 16. Twente, like their current opponent, began their European campaign this season in the Europa League qualifiers, where they immediately lost to Ferencváros. The team also suffered a defeat at the start of the domestic championship, where they lost away to Heerenveen 0-1. Despite their status in the Eredivisie, Twente currently does not stand out on any football front. Qarabag is a fairly experienced European competitor, capable of preserving the advantage gained in the first leg on their home ground. The hosts, at the very least, will not lose.