Azerbaijan's Garabagh FK has learned its opponent for the UEFA Champions League play-off round following the official draw ceremony.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that according to the results of the draw held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the Azerbaijani champion will face English Premier League side Newcastle United.
The team led by Gurban Gurbanov will play the first leg at home in Baku, with the return fixture scheduled to take place away in England. The play-off matches are set for February 17-18 and February 24-25. Should the "Horsemen" advance past this round, they will face either Barcelona (Spain) or Chelsea (England) in the round of 16. The Aghdam representative secured its place in this stage after finishing the league phase in 22nd place with 10 points.
Garabagh FK, representing the city of Aghdam, is Azerbaijan's most successful football club on the international stage. Since the liberation of Aghdam and the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, the club has continued to serve as a symbol of the region's resilience. Under the long-term leadership of head coach Gurban Gurbanov, Garabagh has become a regular participant in European group stages, consistently representing Azerbaijan in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
The full pairings for the UEFA Champions League play-off round have also been determined:
Garabagh (Azerbaijan) - Newcastle (England)
Monaco (France) - PSG (France)
Galatasaray (Turkiye) - Juventus (Italy)
Benfica (Portugal) - Real Madrid (Spain)
Bodo/Glimt (Norway) - Inter Milan (Italy)
Olympiacos (Greece) - Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Germany)
Club Brugge (Belgium) - Atletico Madrid (Spain)
Borussia Dortmund (Germany) - Atalanta (Italy)
Following the play-off round, the draw for the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will be held on February 27. The round of 16 matches are scheduled for March 10-11 and 17-18, while the quarter-finals will take place on April 7-8 and 14-15. The semi-final encounters are set for April 28-29 and May 5-6. The season finale will be held on May 30 in Budapest, Hungary.
