Sabah FK - the colorful rookie from the Caspian Sea

Borussia Dortmund is already playing its third European Cup match in Baku. With Sabah FK, a particularly multifaceted opponent awaits in the Champions League. It is not the case now that the BVB all-rounders travel to completely new realms, just because Champions League newcomer Sabah FK (Tuesday 6.45 pm here in the audio livestream and in the ticker) waits as an opponent. This upstart from Azerbaijan, a resource-rich country on the Caspian Sea, also plays his home games in the capital Baku. There, the black-yellow have already guested twice: In October 2015 against Qäbälä FK (3:1), when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put together a three-pack in the Europa League group stage. And in August 2010 against Qarabag Agdam (1-0), when in the Europa League playoffs Jürgen Klopp was still in command as coach. A further experience of success would be for the ensemble of coach Niko Kovac after the bankruptcy at Bodö/Glimt (0:1) on the second matchday on this Tuesday as well. Baku has already hosted a final since then a lot has happened. Also in Baku, where football is used for image polishing. Thus, the metropolis with its 2.3 million inhabitants was one of the venues of the European Championship finals distributed across Europe and postponed to the summer of 2021 due to the Corona crisis. In addition, the European Football Union (UEFA) once had the idea to award the 2019 Europa League final between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC (4:1) to the city, whose beach promenade boasts a futuristic backdrop. Minted by the three flame towers as landmarks. Eintracht Frankfurt has embarrassed itself Not far from it, in the previous season on the penultimate Champions League match day, all hopes of Eintracht Frankfurt on progress have died out. The Hessians were disgraced against Qarabaq Agdam (2:3) at the end of January in inhospitable conditions at Tofiq-Bahramov Stadium. An old-fashioned, wind-prone venue named after the line judge who pointed so firmly to the center at the famous Wembley goal against Germany in 1966. The BVB has it a bit better now, because the fully covered Olympic Stadium, built outside the city center on large motorway feeders, with all its comfort serves as a venue. In addition, there are currently pleasant, almost late summer temperatures. It is hoped that even more than those 29,670 spectators who cheered the home victory against Slavia Prague (2:0) last week – and thus the first points in the premier class at all. At the opening, Manchester United (0:4) proved to be a number too big, as expected. The club does not exist for ten years But to compete at Old Trafford was a huge number for the outsider from the former Soviet Republic. But how did it break the dominance of Qarabag Agdam? There is money behind it – and calculations. Founded in 2017, the club from Masazir near Baku owes its rapid rise to the Bridge Group of Companies. The company has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1998 and covers construction, property management, trade, agriculture and logistics. Yagub Huseynov, head of Bridge Group of Companies, is considered the founder. The association relied early on a data-based transfer strategy. The decisive sporting impetus was given by coach Valdas Dambrauskas, who once financed his coaching education in England by participating in the Lithuanian version of "Who will become a millionaire?". The cunning Lithuanian, also passionate rapid chess player, led the team straight away to the double last season. For me, the most important thing is that we play without fear of mistakes, with conviction and great commitment. For me, the best result is a 4:3. That is not the case for Mr Kovac. The supports come from Guadeloupe or Jamaica His ensemble is equipped with players from different countries, who are selected and used according to a clear plan. The origin does not matter: goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov came from Kazakhstan, central defenders Steve Solvet and Aden McCarthy come from Guadeloupe and South Africa, wingers Kaheem Parris and Veljko Simic from Jamaica and Serbia. A colorful mixture, in which Joy-Lance Mickels with his Vita fit well. A few years ago, the Siegburg-born centre forward almost landed at the fire brigade, now he plays in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund. “I have to tweak myself sometimes, after all, I play in a small country like Azerbaijan,” says the scorer. Growing up in Schwalmtal am Niederrhein and trained with Borussia Mönchengladbach, the 32-year-old is a late starter. Neither in Gladbach nor at Schalke 04 did he make the breakthrough, not even with Alemannia Aachen or Carl Zeiss Jena. When Wacker Nordhausen filed for bankruptcy in 2019, even the thought of going to the fire brigade arose. But in the end he moved to Azerbaijan again - even if he wanted to leave there quickly. Before the first training, he "saw cows running across the street in front of our stadium and thought: Where did I land here?" In the meantime, however, he had fallen in love with the capital Baku. And of course in his club Sabah. He became the league’s top scorer and Rwanda’s national player – the latter together with twin brother Joy-Slayd and younger brother Leroy-Jacques. Against Prague, he even scored his first goal in the premier class last Tuesday (13 October 2026). I’m trying to make a good game. I also know that Borussia Dortmund is very strong. These are all opponents I otherwise only see on the iPad. I can’t wait, says Mickels.