{"id":2124706,"date":"2026-09-02T15:55:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T12:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2124706"},"modified":"2026-09-02T15:55:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T12:55:35","slug":"how-a-quiz-show-and-a-dream-took-azerbaijans-sabah-to-the-champions-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2124706","title":{"rendered":"How a quiz show and a dream took Azerbaijan&#8217;s Sabah to the Champions League"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/28\/52\/1200x675_cmsv2_c3f64f87-3658-5890-be36-0d1cf20b6719-9892852.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2922612-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2922612\" data-cid=\"9899080\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922612-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/90\/01\/189x106_cmsv2_a7a3fe68-35e7-5103-991f-c36c7259e110-9899001.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Italian high-speed Frecciarossa train is at Kinding station in Germany during a test run, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Daniel Karmann\/dpa via AP)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Travel News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Frecciarossa starts trials for new links to Munich from Milan and Rome\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922611-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2922611\" data-cid=\"9899000\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922611-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/90\/00\/189x106_cmsv2_1119a9ac-36ed-5ca8-ba80-08b950e3c13a-9899000.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Pr\u00e9vot.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Belgium pushes back against new attempt to use Russian assets\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922596-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2922596\" data-cid=\"9898900\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922596-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/89\/00\/189x106_cmsv2_e7d29df8-ebf0-5c14-8b49-87858a80f0c1-9898900.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Police vehicles at Leipzig\/Halle Airport, where investigations are underway following the drone incident in Schkeuditz, Germany, Thursday Aug. 6, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU states show &#8216;broad support&#8217; for Russian combatant visa ban, Kallas\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922597-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2922597\" data-cid=\"9898913\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922597-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/89\/13\/189x106_cmsv2_6d17bc72-d2e8-597f-8e37-63bd39800fc1-9898913.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"MEPs from PfE and EPP gathering in front of the European Parliament in Brussels\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EPP and Patriots for Europe rally against S\u00e1nchez over Ceuta crisis\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922612-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2922612\" data-cid=\"9899080\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922612-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/90\/01\/189x106_cmsv2_a7a3fe68-35e7-5103-991f-c36c7259e110-9899001.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Italian high-speed Frecciarossa train is at Kinding station in Germany during a test run, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Daniel Karmann\/dpa via AP)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Travel News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Frecciarossa starts trials for new links to Munich from Milan and Rome\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922611-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2922611\" data-cid=\"9899000\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922611-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/90\/00\/189x106_cmsv2_1119a9ac-36ed-5ca8-ba80-08b950e3c13a-9899000.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Pr\u00e9vot.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Belgium pushes back against new attempt to use Russian assets\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922596-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2922596\" data-cid=\"9898900\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922596-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/89\/00\/189x106_cmsv2_e7d29df8-ebf0-5c14-8b49-87858a80f0c1-9898900.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Police vehicles at Leipzig\/Halle Airport, where investigations are underway following the drone incident in Schkeuditz, Germany, Thursday Aug. 6, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU states show &#8216;broad support&#8217; for Russian combatant visa ban, Kallas\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922597-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2922597\" data-cid=\"9898913\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922597-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/89\/13\/189x106_cmsv2_6d17bc72-d2e8-597f-8e37-63bd39800fc1-9898913.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"MEPs from PfE and EPP gathering in front of the European Parliament in Brussels\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EPP and Patriots for Europe rally against S\u00e1nchez over Ceuta crisis\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          News<\/p>\n<p>                          World<\/p>\n<p>                          Azerbaijan<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            How a quiz show and a dream took Azerbaijan&#8217;s Sabah to the Champions League<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/28\/52\/1536x864_cmsv2_c3f64f87-3658-5890-be36-0d1cf20b6719-9892852.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"FILE: Sabah&apos;s Akim Zedadka drives the ball during the UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round 1st match against Aarhus GF, in Randers, 5 August 2026\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              FILE: Sabah&#8217;s Akim Zedadka drives the ball during the UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round 1st match against Aarhus GF, in Randers, 5 August 2026<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspNargiz Mammadzada&amp;nbsp&amp;&amp;nbspNadira Tudor\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1788364535\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-02 17:55:35 +02:00\">02\/09\/2026 &#8211; 17:55 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-share-comment-popup\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup js-c-article-share-comment-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-close.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"Close Button\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-share-comment-close\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content u-display-flex\">\n<div id=\"share-comment-popup-content-container\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__container u-display-flex\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"facebook\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"facebook\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-twitter.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"twitter\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-twitter.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"twitter\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-flipboard.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"flipboard\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Flipboard<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-flipboard.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"flipboard\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-send.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"send\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Send<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-send.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"send\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-reddit.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"reddit\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Reddit<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-reddit.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"reddit\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"linkedin\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Linkedin<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"linkedin\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"messenger\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Messenger<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"messenger\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"telegram\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Telegram<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"telegram\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"vk\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>VK<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"vk\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Azerbaijan\u2019s Sabah Football Club have unexpectedly qualified for the UEFA Champions League, making it one of its most historic achievements to date.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>&#8220;I think this story about the TV quiz is a little overrated,&#8221; Valdas Dambrauskas told Euronews after he became the first Baltic coach to reach the Champions League main round, leading a club that did not exist nine years ago to fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In 2002, Dambrauskas won the prize money on the Lithuanian television show &#8220;Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?&#8221; and used it to move to England to fund his UEFA coaching badges. <\/p>\n<p>He had no professional football background. <\/p>\n<p>To pay for the courses, he worked as a babysitter, salesman and newspaper delivery man. He eventually got into the youth academies at Fulham, Brentford and Manchester United. Sabah FC in Baku is his 10th club.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sometimes it was difficult. I had to work hard, and sometimes to believe when myself and those around me were doubting,&#8221; Dambrauskas recalled.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I take this achievement as a milestone and believe that journey is more important. There are other dreams ahead and I really don&#8217;t want to stop.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/28\/52\/808x454_cmsv2_89c0d044-ed4d-5e25-8d17-cb3baf88294c-9892852.jpg\" alt=\"Valdas Dambrauskas, Lithuanian professional football manager, Head Coach of Azerbaijan Premier League club Sabah FC\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Valdas Dambrauskas, Lithuanian professional football manager, Head Coach of Azerbaijan Premier League club Sabah FC<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Azertag, August 2026<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sabah beat Hapoel Beer Sheva 5-2 last Tuesday \u2014 6-4 on aggregate \u2014 to reach the Champions League main round, guaranteeing eight matches against European football&#8217;s biggest clubs. Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Slavia Prague will come to Baku. <\/p>\n<p>Dambrauskas and his squad travel to Arsenal and Manchester United in England, then to Villarreal in Spain and Viking in Norway.<\/p>\n<p>Dambrauskas was equally clear-eyed about what comes next. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Everyone is speaking about the Champions League, but the Azerbaijan championship is what allows you to play there. It is very important we keep the focus and prepare for every game that we are going to play,&#8221; he said. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We have a fantastic international environment where a lot of times we select eleven different nationalities in the starting line-up. In this kind of environment the main word we base our philosophy on is respect.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;It is time to focus&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Sabah Futbol Klubu were founded in Baku in 2017. They won the Azerbaijan Cup in the 2024-25 season and the Azerbaijan Premier League title the following year, ending Qaraba\u011f FK&#8217;s domestic dominance. <\/p>\n<p>Facing the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal came quickly in a rare footballing dream come true, and for Sabah right-back and right-winger Tellur Mutallimov, the scale of what lies ahead is a matter of focus, not thrills.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Playing against clubs of this stature gives me a greater sense of responsibility and extra motivation rather than excitement,&#8221; Mutallimov told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The celebrations are now behind us. It is time to focus all our attention on the important and difficult matches ahead.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Mutallimov paid tribute to supporters who had followed the club through the qualifying rounds. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Even when we played far away from home in Denmark, England, Finland and Romania, we were not alone. We are grateful to our compatriots living abroad, who came to the stadiums and supported us during those matches.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/28\/52\/808x454_cmsv2_ab3ec809-84ba-50e2-a910-e90049a6ece6-9892852.jpg\" alt=\"SABAH FC against Hapoel Beer Sheva FC in Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">SABAH FC against Hapoel Beer Sheva FC in Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Azertag, August 2026<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Dambrauskas is assisted by Valerio Zuddas, a 37-year-old Italian who has worked across 10 countries and is responsible for the team&#8217;s defensive organisation and analysis of European opponents. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The biggest satisfaction for Valdas as head coach and for us as coaching staff is that we can clearly see how the players are into our team principles and how they believe in them,&#8221; Zuddas told Euronews. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sometimes they find solutions by themselves inside our structure, their level of understanding of the game allows us to propose always different strategies and variations that help us to be more and more competitive,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<h2>Dreaming differently about football<\/h2>\n<p>Club president Magsud Adigozalov said the route to the Champions League was built on analytics rather than spending. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We could not compete financially with many established European clubs, so we had to find our own competitive advantages,&#8221; Adigozalov told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We were inspired by the Moneyball philosophy, which demonstrated that intelligent use of data and recruitment can help a club compete far beyond what its financial size might suggest,&#8221; he explained.<\/p>\n<p>Yet to Adigozalov, the human factor always comes first.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Footballers are people before they are assets or statistics. We try to provide players with excellent training and living conditions and treat them and their families with respect,&#8221; Adigozalov said.<\/p>\n<p>Sabah FC&#8217;s total squad market value is estimated to be around \u20ac16.65 million, a far cry from Barcelona&#8217;s \u20ac1.1 billion or Manchester United&#8217;s \u20ac900 million. <\/p>\n<p>Napoli centre-back Beno\u00eet Badiashile, who just transferred from Chelsea, is valued at roughly the same as the entire Azerbaijani squad.<\/p>\n<p>Adigozalov remains undeterred and a firm believer in hard work above all.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Champions League is the result everyone can see today. What makes us especially proud is the system, the culture and the work behind it that people did not see for nine years.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Qualifying for the main round brings Sabah a base fee of millions of euros in direct UEFA distributions, alongside broadcasting rights income and new sponsorship opportunities. <\/p>\n<p>Adigozalov said the longer-term impact will be on understanding that nothing is out of reach in sports like football. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A young boy or girl sitting in the stadium and watching Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund play against Sabah may start dreaming differently about football,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If this achievement brings more children into football, more families into stadiums and creates greater belief in Azerbaijani football, then its impact will be much bigger than Sabah itself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Why is UK football club hiring booming, with data analyst roles surging?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  One year to go: Qatar counts down to 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Deal beyond football: Mohamed Salah at Trabzonspor boosts tourism and T\u00fcrkiye&#8217;s economy<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Champions League<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  UEFA<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Football<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Azerbaijan<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2922611-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922611\" data-cid=\"9899000\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922611-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/90\/00\/320x180_cmsv2_1119a9ac-36ed-5ca8-ba80-08b950e3c13a-9899000.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Pr\u00e9vot.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Belgium pushes back against new attempt to use Russian assets<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2922479-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922479\" data-cid=\"9898387\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922479-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/83\/87\/320x180_cmsv2_6fb03c82-dc10-5a3e-825c-70acfbc68290-9898387.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen deliver press statement in Brussels, Belgium 2 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe must brace for new security &#8216;era&#8217;, von der Leyen says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2922572-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922572\" data-cid=\"9898725\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922572-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/87\/25\/320x180_cmsv2_214c706e-6f5b-58bc-8500-13eedc2d66c6-9898725.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Aeroflot&apos;s passengers planes are parked at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, March 1, 2022\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ukraine formally warns airlines that Russian airspace is unsafe<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2922552-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922552\" data-cid=\"9898630\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922552-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/86\/30\/320x180_cmsv2_d64dbf35-a4c3-5571-a655-403afea1acd9-9898630.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"250 gram gold bars of 999.9 purity stacked in the safe deposit boxes room in Munich, 25 April, 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Netherlands moves 86 tonnes of gold from US and Canada to UK<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2922415-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922415\" data-cid=\"9898139\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922415-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/81\/39\/320x180_cmsv2_abcc916a-4546-5f52-b1e0-5165070d2cca-9898139.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Grande-Marlaska during a meeMigrants try to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, 30 July, 2026ting in Brussels.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spanish police chief says no report blames Morocco for Ceuta crossings<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921916-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921916\" data-cid=\"9895601\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Death of Germany&#8217;s richest man creates a giant charitable foundation<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2922302-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922302\" data-cid=\"9897551\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Thailand confirms it will cut visa-free stays for EU travellers<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2922307-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922307\" data-cid=\"9897687\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ryanair&#8217;s Boeing 737 stairs tied to hundreds of passenger falls, study says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2922364-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922364\" data-cid=\"9897774\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Zelenskyy warns \u2018Russian airspace will effectively be closing\u2019<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2922152-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922152\" data-cid=\"9896747\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    As war fears grow, Sweden plans burials for part of its population<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922611-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922611\" data-cid=\"9899000\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922611-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/90\/00\/320x180_cmsv2_1119a9ac-36ed-5ca8-ba80-08b950e3c13a-9899000.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Pr\u00e9vot.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Belgium pushes back against new attempt to use Russian assets<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922479-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922479\" data-cid=\"9898387\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922479-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/83\/87\/320x180_cmsv2_6fb03c82-dc10-5a3e-825c-70acfbc68290-9898387.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen deliver press statement in Brussels, Belgium 2 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe must brace for new security &#8216;era&#8217;, von der Leyen says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922572-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922572\" data-cid=\"9898725\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922572-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/87\/25\/320x180_cmsv2_214c706e-6f5b-58bc-8500-13eedc2d66c6-9898725.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Aeroflot&apos;s passengers planes are parked at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, March 1, 2022\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ukraine formally warns airlines that Russian airspace is unsafe<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922552-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922552\" data-cid=\"9898630\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922552-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/86\/30\/320x180_cmsv2_d64dbf35-a4c3-5571-a655-403afea1acd9-9898630.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"250 gram gold bars of 999.9 purity stacked in the safe deposit boxes room in Munich, 25 April, 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Netherlands moves 86 tonnes of gold from US and Canada to UK<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922415-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922415\" data-cid=\"9898139\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2922415-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/81\/39\/320x180_cmsv2_abcc916a-4546-5f52-b1e0-5165070d2cca-9898139.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Grande-Marlaska during a meeMigrants try to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, 30 July, 2026ting in Brussels.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spanish police chief says no report blames Morocco for Ceuta crossings<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921916-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2921916\" data-cid=\"9895601\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Death of Germany&#8217;s richest man creates a giant charitable foundation<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922302-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922302\" data-cid=\"9897551\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Thailand confirms it will cut visa-free stays for EU travellers<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922307-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922307\" data-cid=\"9897687\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ryanair&#8217;s Boeing 737 stairs tied to hundreds of passenger falls, study says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922364-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922364\" data-cid=\"9897774\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Zelenskyy warns \u2018Russian airspace will effectively be closing\u2019<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2922152-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2922152\" data-cid=\"9896747\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    As war fears grow, Sweden plans burials for part of its population<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">&#8220;I think this story about the TV quiz is a little overrated,&#8221; Valdas Dambrauskas told Euronews after he became the first Baltic coach to reach the Champions League main round, leading a club that did not exist nine years ago to fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona.In 2002, Dambrauskas won the prize money on the Lithuanian television show &#8220;Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?&#8221; and used it to move to England to fund his UEFA coaching badges.He had no professional football background.To pay for the courses, he worked as a babysitter, salesman and newspaper delivery man. He eventually got into the youth academies at Fulham, Brentford and Manchester United. Sabah FC in Baku is his 10th club.&#8221;Sometimes it was difficult. I had to work hard, and sometimes to believe when myself and those around me were doubting,&#8221; Dambrauskas recalled.&#8221;I take this achievement as a milestone and believe that journey is more important. There are other dreams ahead and I really don&#8217;t want to stop.&#8221;Sabah beat Hapoel Beer Sheva 5-2 last Tuesday \u2014 6-4 on aggregate \u2014 to reach the Champions League main round, guaranteeing eight matches against European football&#8217;s biggest clubs. Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Slavia Prague will come to Baku.Dambrauskas and his squad travel to Arsenal and Manchester United in England, then to Villarreal in Spain and Viking in Norway.Dambrauskas was equally clear-eyed about what comes next.&#8221;Everyone is speaking about the Champions League, but the Azerbaijan championship is what allows you to play there. It is very important we keep the focus and prepare for every game that we are going to play,&#8221; he said.&#8221;We have a fantastic international environment where a lot of times we select eleven different nationalities in the starting line-up. In this kind of environment the main word we base our philosophy on is respect.&#8221;&#8216;It is time to focus&#8217;Sabah Futbol Klubu were founded in Baku in 2017. They won the Azerbaijan Cup in the 2024-25 season and the Azerbaijan Premier League title the following year, ending Qaraba\u011f FK&#8217;s domestic dominance.Facing the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal came quickly in a rare footballing dream come true, and for Sabah right-back and right-winger Tellur Mutallimov, the scale of what lies ahead is a matter of focus, not thrills.&#8221;Playing against clubs of this stature gives me a greater sense of responsibility and extra motivation rather than excitement,&#8221; Mutallimov told Euronews.&#8221;The celebrations are now behind us. It is time to focus all our attention on the important and difficult matches ahead.&#8221;Mutallimov paid tribute to supporters who had followed the club through the qualifying rounds.&#8221;Even when we played far away from home in Denmark, England, Finland and Romania, we were not alone. We are grateful to our compatriots living abroad, who came to the stadiums and supported us during those matches.&#8221;Dambrauskas is assisted by Valerio Zuddas, a 37-year-old Italian who has worked across 10 countries and is responsible for the team&#8217;s defensive organisation and analysis of European opponents.&#8221;The biggest satisfaction for Valdas as head coach and for us as coaching staff is that we can clearly see how the players are into our team principles and how they believe in them,&#8221; Zuddas told Euronews.&#8221;Sometimes they find solutions by themselves inside our structure, their level of understanding of the game allows us to propose always different strategies and variations that help us to be more and more competitive,&#8221; he said.Dreaming differently about footballClub president Magsud Adigozalov said the route to the Champions League was built on analytics rather than spending.&#8221;We could not compete financially with many established European clubs, so we had to find our own competitive advantages,&#8221; Adigozalov told Euronews.&#8221;We were inspired by the Moneyball philosophy, which demonstrated that intelligent use of data and recruitment can help a club compete far beyond what its financial size might suggest,&#8221; he explained.Yet to Adigozalov, the human factor always comes first.&#8221;Footballers are people before they are assets or statistics. We try to provide players with excellent training and living conditions and treat them and their families with respect,&#8221; Adigozalov said.Sabah FC&#8217;s total squad market value is estimated to be around \u20ac16.65 million, a far cry from Barcelona&#8217;s \u20ac1.1 billion or Manchester United&#8217;s \u20ac900 million.Napoli centre-back Beno\u00eet Badiashile, who just transferred from Chelsea, is valued at roughly the same as the entire Azerbaijani squad.Adigozalov remains undeterred and a firm believer in hard work above all.&#8221;The Champions League is the result everyone can see today. What makes us especially proud is the system, the culture and the work behind it that people did not see for nine years.&#8221;Qualifying for the main round brings Sabah a base fee of millions of euros in direct UEFA distributions, alongside broadcasting rights income and new sponsorship opportunities.Adigozalov said the longer-term impact will be on understanding that nothing is out of reach in sports like football.&#8221;A young boy or girl sitting in the stadium and watching Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund play against Sabah may start dreaming differently about football,&#8221; he said.&#8221;If this achievement brings more children into football, more families into stadiums and creates greater belief in Azerbaijani football, then its impact will be much bigger than Sabah itself.&#8221;<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/09\/02\/how-a-quiz-show-and-a-dream-took-azerbaijans-sabah-to-the-champions-league&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/28\/52\/1200x675_cmsv2_c3f64f87-3658-5890-be36-0d1cf20b6719-9892852.jpg&#8221;] Travel News Frecciarossa starts trials for new links to Munich from Milan and Rome Europe News Belgium pushes back against new attempt to use Russian assets Europe News EU states show &#8216;broad support&#8217; for Russian combatant visa ban, Kallas Europe News EPP and Patriots for Europe rally against S\u00e1nchez over Ceuta crisis [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2124706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2124706"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124706\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2124706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2124706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2124706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}