OMM Newsroom
Azerbaijan head coach Ayxan Abbasov has announced a 27-player squad for matches against Liechtenstein and Andorra. Aghadadash Salyanski, the Araz-Nakhchivan forward who has scored four goals in the Premier League this season, was left out.
After 10 rounds, Salyanski shares third place in the scoring chart. Ahead of him are Neftchi’s Breno Almeida and Sabah forward Joy-Lance Mickels. Salyanski is the only Azerbaijani forward among the league’s most prolific scorers. Araz-Nakhchivan have not won during this period, and four of their nine goals have come from him. He has scored against Qarabag, Turan Tovuz, Shamakhi and Zira; his most recent goal came in a 2-2 draw with Zira on October 31.
The young forward’s record
Musa Gurbanli, who was called up to the national team, has scored one league goal. However, players cannot be compared solely by their goal tallies: Gurbanli has experience with the senior national team and competes at a high level for his club. Salyanski is 22 and scored twice, in the 43rd and 51st minutes, as the under-21 team beat Gibraltar 3-0 in October. He was also called up to the senior team in March 2025, during Fernando Santos’ tenure.
Abbasov has also called up 18-year-old Sampdoria player Lorenzo Mezzottero for the November training camp. Salyanski, meanwhile, received a four-match suspension in May 2025 for his conduct during a match between the reserve teams of Neftchi and Sabah. In October, he was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in a match against Sumgait and served a one-match suspension. Abbasov has not explained whether the incidents, reflected in decisions by the AFFA Disciplinary Committee, affected his selection; pressing, decision-making and tactical fit may also be among the criteria.
In an interview with Idmanxeber.az in September, Salyanski said he wanted to play for the senior national team and would be ready if called up. Four goals do not automatically guarantee a place in the squad, but whether he could be given a chance at training camp remains a topic of discussion. An explanation from the head coach could clarify which criteria the coaching staff prioritised.
