Europa League | League Stage

Oct 24, 2024 at 5.45pm UK

Ədliyya stadionu

Qarabag vs Ajax

Match preview

Qarabag are one of just six teams in the revamped 36-team Europa League who've lost their first two matches. They were beaten 3-0 by 10-man Tottenham Hotspur and then lost 2-1 at home to Malmö three weeks ago.

Gurban Gurbanov's team have done well in the Azerbaijan Premier League so far this season. They've won eight of their first nine games and have scored a league-high 25 goals.

Qarabag had a great win last weekend, beating Kapaz 5-0. They scored four goals in the second half in just 27 minutes! They're currently three points ahead at the top of the table and hoping to win their fourth title in a row.

The Horsemen, who made it to the Europa League last 16 for the first time in their history last season, haven't done so well on the continent. It's worth noting that Qarabag have the highest loss rate of any team that has played at least 50 matches in the Europa League (55%, 29/53).

They've also struggled against Dutch teams, drawing three and losing one of their last four such matches. All of those were Europa League qualifiers against FC Twente, including two 0-0 draws at home in 2009 and 2014.

After being knocked out of the Europa League group stage last season and exiting the Conference League in the last 16, Ajax have made a strong start to their latest European campaign. They beat Besiktas 4-0 in their opening match and drew 1-1 with Slavia Prague three weeks ago, despite playing with 10 men.

The Amsterdam-based giants are on a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions, which they extended last weekend with a 4-3 victory away against Heracles in the Eredivisie. Wout Weghorst scored two second-half goals, including an 82nd-minute winner, to seal the win and maximum points for the fifth time this season.

Francesco Farioli, the 35-year-old head coach who has won 11 of his first 15 matches since taking the reins in the summer, currently has his side sitting third in the Eredivisie standings. They are 11 points behind PSV Eindhoven, who are leading the league, although Ajax have played two more games.

Ajax are four-time European Cup/Champions League winners who also reached the Europa League final in 2016-17. However, they head into Thursday's contest having won just two of their last 15 away matches in the latter competition, and haven't won any of their last six on the road.

However, Ajax have only lost one of their last eight matches when facing an opponent for the first time in European competition (W4 D3), including qualification wins over FK Vojvodina and Jagellonia Bialystok in this season's Europa League. This bodes well ahead of their first encounter with Qarabag.

Recent Performance

Qarabag FK Europa League form:LL

Qarabag FK form (all competitions):LWLLLL

Ajax Europa League form:WDWWWD

Ajax form (all competitions):DWWDWW

Possible starting lineups

Qarabag FK possible starting lineup:

Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazade, Huseynov, Cafarquliyev; Romao, P. Andrade; L. Andrade, Benzia, Zoubir; Juninho

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Rensch, Sutalo, Rugani, Hato; Van den Boomen, Henderson, Taylor; Traore, Weghorst, Godts