FC Baku explained

Clubname:Baku
Upright:0.8
Fullname:Bakı Futbol Klubu
Nickname:Zolaqlılar (The Stripes)
Founded:1997 as Dinamo Baku
Dissolved:2018
Ground:FC Baku Training Base,
Baku, Azerbaijan
Capacity:2,500
Chrtitle:Chairmen
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Socks1:2B60DE
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FC Baku (Azerbaijani: "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) was an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that has been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and the National Cup three times. The club ceased operations in 2018.

History

Early years (1997–2004)

Led by Shamil Heydarov, Dinamo finished 2nd and entered the 1998–99 UEFA Cup, but was eliminated by Argeş Piteşti 1–7 on aggregate in the preliminary round. In the 1997–98 season, Dinamo appointed Ruslan Abdullayev as their new head coach. Under the management of Abdullayev, the team passed the first part of the tournament well, although 3rd place and 52 points were not enough for medals or European cups, and Dinamo finished the season in 6th place.[1] The following two seasons, Dinamo also finished 6th, but since 2000, the team was managed by Ruslan Abdullayev's son Elkhan Abdullayev, and was renamed to Dinamo Bakılı. In the 2001–02 season, after a disastrous performance, Dinamo Bakılı were relegated to the Azerbaijan First Division, but due to conflict between clubs and the AFFA, the next championship was held just two years later, in which the team participated under the name of Dinamo for the last time in its history.[2] [3] [4] [5]

Success era (2004–2008)

In 2004, the club renamed to FC Baku, after changes by the new chairman. New management began from radical changes. Elkhan Abdullayev was replaced by Asgar Abdullayev immediately after the second week of the season. FC Baku gained some important victories over the opponents and was holding a pole position until February 2005. At the end of the season Asgar Abdullayev concentrated on the Azerbaijan Cup, where his team reached the final. In the 2004–05 season, Baku managed to finish in 5th.[6]

The return to European competition proved to be unsuccessful. In the 2004–05 UEFA Cup first qualifying match, Baku lost to Slovakian side MŠK Žilina 2–3 on aggregate, although they won the first leg 1–0 in Baku.[7] [8]

In 2008, Baku appointed Gjoko Hadžievski as their manager, and after a poor first season, the club celebrated their second title. Under his charge, FC Baku became the first Azerbaijani team to qualify for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The team beat FK Ekranas in the second qualifying round after a 2–2 draw in Lithuania and 4–2 win in the Tofik Bakhramov Stadium in the second leg,[9] although they lost to Levski Sofia in the next round 2–0 on aggregate, with Baku drawing the first leg 0–0 at home.[10]

Downfall and financial struggles (2008–2018)

In 2010, the club was handed a two-match suspension by UEFA for fielding Joël Epalle in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the Europa League against FK Budućnost, who was ineligible to play at the time.[11] [12] Baku won the first leg 2–1, but UEFA awarded Budućnost a 3–0 win due to Baku fielding a suspended player. Although Baku went on to win the second leg 2–1, they lost 4–2 on aggregate due to the awarded win.

A long period of decline followed the success of the 2008 to the end of the decade. Despite the appointment of famous names such as Bülent Korkmaz, Winfried Schäfer, Aleksandrs Starkovs, Božidar Bandović and Milinko Pantić, the club did not achieve any success and squandered large sums of money on unsuccessful signings.[13]

In 2014, the club owner Hafiz Mammadov's financial difficulties forced number of players and personnel to seek new clubs, leaving the club's future uncertain.[14] [15] The club was relegated from the Premier League in the 2014–15 season, and played in the Azerbaijani First Division in the 2015–16 season. The club became defunct as a professional club the next year.

Colours and logo

The club's traditional kit is a white and blue shirt, white shorts with grey socks. Their away kit is all maroon. Baku's kits are manufactured by Macron. The club sponsored by the Baghlan Group and ZQAN Holding.[16] The club's logo is based on The Maiden Tower, a noted landmark and one of Azerbaijan's most distinctive emblems.

Stadium

Tofik Bakhramov Stadium was used for a long period of time as Baku's main stadium. In 2008, Baku's president Hafiz Mammadov announced that a new stadium which will have a capacity of 10,000 fans will be built. The new stadium was expected to be finished in 2010, but construction is currently on hold.

The club's training base is currently used for its domestic games, which holds 2,000 fans.[17]

Supporters

The club enjoys support from fans scattered all over the city, and the local area in general. The club has been the subject of an independent supporters' fanzine Toplu Bakı since the 2010s.[18] [19]

League and domestic cup history

Post-independence period

SeasonLeagueAzerbaijan CupTop goalscorer
Div.Pos.Pl.WDLGSGAPNameLeague
1997–981stalign=center bgcolor=silver2261664482054 Ismayilov14
1998–991st63618513543459Semi-finals Ismayilov15
1999–001st622949211731Quarter-finals P.Aliyev8
2000–011st620929302929Semi-finals P.Aliyev13
2001–021st11300426177041/8 Finals
2003–041st52612594532411/8 Finals Mahmudov10
2004–051st53421103601473align=center bgcolor=goldWinners Pérez13
2005–061stalign=center bgcolor=gold1261844421258Quarter-finals Gomes8
2006–071stalign=center bgcolor=bronze3241464251048Quarter-finals Gomes
Pérez
6
2007–081st8268117352635Quarter-finals Pérez8
2008–091stalign=center bgcolor=gold1262024541362Semi-finals Mujiri11
2009–101stalign=center bgcolor=silver242171411413265align=center bgcolor=goldWinners Jabá10
2010–111st632101012333240Semi-finals Jabá7
2011–121st63215512423750align=center bgcolor=goldWinners Parks8
2012–131st5329149332741Semi-finals Pena6
2013–141st53616911534357Quarter-finals R.Aliyev9
2014–151st9323821196817Quarter-finals N.Novruzov15
2015–162nd14269314334215Second round K.Nurahmedov8

European record

Updated 21 July 2009.

CompetitionMatchesWDLGFGA
UEFA Champions League622278
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League10217724
UEFA Intertoto Cup202022
Total184591634
SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1998–99UEFA Cup1QArgeş Piteşti0–21–51–7
2005–06UEFA Cup1QMŠK Žilina1–01–32–3
2006–07Champions League1QSioni Bolnisi1–00–21–2
2007UEFA Intertoto Cup1QDacia Chișinău1–11–1 (p 1–3)2–2
2009–10Champions League2QRFK Ekranas4–22–26–4
3QRLevski Sofia0–00–20–2
2009–10UEFA Europa LeaguePOFC Basel1–31–52–8
2010–11UEFA Europa League2QRFK Budućnost0–32–12–4
2012–13UEFA Europa League1QRND Mura 050–00–20–2

Notable managers

The following managers have all won at least one trophy when in charge of FC Baku:

NamePeriodTrophies
Asgar Abdullayev2004–06Azerbaijan Cup
Boyukagha Hajiyev2006–07Azerbaijan Premier League
Gjoko Hadžievski2007–10Azerbaijan Premier League
Cüneyt Biçer2010Azerbaijan Cup
Novruz Azimov2012Azerbaijan Cup

Honours

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Azerbaijan 1998/99 . 2 February 2023 . 16 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230416184801/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/azer99.html . live .
  2. Web site: Azerbaijan 1999/00 . 2 February 2023 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206063655/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/azer00.html . live .
  3. Web site: Azerbaijan 2000/01 . 2 February 2023 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206073846/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/azer01.html . live .
  4. Web site: Azerbaijan 2001/02 . 2 February 2023 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206062042/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/azer02.html . live .
  5. Web site: Azerbaijan 2003/04 . 2 February 2023 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206081818/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/azer03a.html . live .
  6. Web site: Azerbaijan 2004–05 . 2 February 2023 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206071012/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/azer05.html . live .
  7. Web site: 2005/06 UEFA Cup . 16 February 2012 . 5 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131105055853/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2005/matches/round=2206/match=81212/index.html . live .
  8. Web site: 2005/06 UEFA Cup . 16 February 2012 . 5 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131105055842/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2005/matches/round=2206/match=81213/index.html . live .
  9. Web site: Bakı blitz downs Ekranas . 25 July 2009 . 26 September 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090926014155/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/fixturesresults/round=2000025/match=2000306/report=rp.html . live .
  10. Web site: Champions League Qualifying (Sky Sports) . 2023-05-14 . Sky Sports. 14 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230514153948/https://www.skysports.com/football/fk-baku-vs-levski-sofia/stats/104909 . live .
  11. News: Two clubs handed 3–0 Europa League defeats by UEFA . The Times of India . 23 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100724184636/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Two-clubs-handed-3-0-Europa-League-defeats-by-UEFA/articleshow/6203286.cms . 24 July 2010 .
  12. Web site: UEFA gives technical defeat to Baku FC. Trend News Agency. 23 July 2010. 23 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100923093018/http://en.trend.az/news/sports/1724825.html. live.
  13. Web site: ru:Слабый и еще слабее. http://www.azerifootball.com/ru/9/news/21204.html. Azerifootball.com. 10 August 2013. ru. 20 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130820043807/http://www.azerifootball.com/ru/9/news/21204.html. live.
  14. Web site: ru:СМИ: Клуб Хафиза Мамедова покупает форму на бакинской «толкучке». http://sportbox.az/azerbaijan-soccer/97419/smi-klub-hafiza-mamedova-pokupaet-formu-na-bakinskoj-tolkuchke. sportbox.az. 24 July 2014. ru. https://web.archive.org/web/20140719020108/http://sportbox.az/azerbaijan-soccer/97419/smi-klub-hafiza-mamedova-pokupaet-formu-na-bakinskoj-tolkuchke. 19 July 2014. dead.
  15. Web site: ru:Клуб азербайджанского олигарха Хафиза Мамедова не выплачивает зарплаты футболистам. http://novosti.az/sport/20140507/300334140.html. novosti.az. 24 July 2014. ru. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140715124535/http://novosti.az/sport/20140507/300334140.html. 15 July 2014.
  16. Web site: History . 8 February 2015 . FC Baku . https://web.archive.org/web/20130808053943/http://fcbaku.com/index.php?page=club&view=history . 8 August 2013 . dead .
  17. Web site: ФК "Бакы" получил новую учебно-тренировочную базу. mir24.tv. 28 April 2013. Russian. https://web.archive.org/web/20111207042622/http://mir24.tv/news/sport/4249483. 7 December 2011. dead.
  18. Web site: ru:Топлу Бакы получил заслуженную премию. http://www.azerifootball.com/ru/13/news/4764.html. Azerifootball.com. 28 April 2013. ru. 12 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160112021058/http://www.azerifootball.com/ru/13/news/4764.html. live.
  19. Web site: "Toplu Bakı" mükafata layiq görüldü. Stadium.az. 28 April 2013. az. 12 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160112021058/http://www.stadium.az/?cat=xeberler&id=6466. live.