Gabala FC vs Mainz Europa League Preview
Gabala FC vs Mainz is is the 19th UEFA fixture between Azeri and German teams, and, up to this point, the German teams have won every encounter. This is, however, the first time that 1. FSV Mainz faces a team from Azerbaijan, as the Germans are playing in the UEFA Europa League for the first time.
Gabala (or Qäbälä), however, are facing German opposition for the second season in a row, as they were drawn in a group with Borussia Dortmund last season. Gabala lost both matches (3-1 at home, and 4-0 in Dortmund), but the match made international headlines because Dortmund opted not to nominate their Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan for the away fixture in Azerbaijan due to political reasons.
There is no political controversy in this season’s fixture between the Azeris and the Germans. Yet there are expectations in Azerbaijan that Gabala could finally break the jinx over the teams from Azerbaijan when they play against German clubs (read Gabala’s full Europa League preview right here).
This season, Gabala have won all four of their European matches, as they most notably beat Lille in the Europa League playoffs 1-0 at home to go through to the group stage 2-1 on aggregate.
Mainz, therefore, will have to be on guard when they make the 3,200 km journey from Rhineland-Palatinate to Baku where the match will take place at the Bakcell Stadium (Gabala’s nominal stadium is deemed to small for Europa League matches).
At the same time, Gabala showed, in their first group match, that they are vulnerable, as they fell 3-1 to RSC Anderlecht away in Belgium. Ukrainian coach, Roman Hrygorchuk, will have to improve on that performance if they want to get a result against Mainz on Thursday.
Mainz are one of the most tactically astute sides in German football. Furthermore, Mainz are also considered a club that not only breeds its own talented players, but also has one of the best coaching schools in the country.
The club was the first coaching destination for Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp, and Dortmund manager, Thomas Tuchel. Current manager, Martin Schmidt, a former skier and racing car mechanic, is the latest coach who has risen up through Mainz’s ranks to make a name for himself, and his side is the only club to beat Bayern München at the Allianz Arena last season.
Schmidt is unlikely to underestimate the Azeri side, and the Germans should be the favourites to win the match on Thursday night in Baku.
Possible Line-ups
Gabala:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Bezotosny – Ricardinho, Rafael, Stankovic, Mirzabekov – Kvekveskiri, Vernydub – Dabo, Ozobić, Zenjov – Gorbanov
Manager: Roman Hrygorchuk
1. FSV Mainz 05:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Lössl – Donati, Bell, Balogun, Bussmann – Serdar, Gbamin – Clemens, Malli, De Blasis – Muto
Manager: Martin Schmidt
