Afran Ismayilov: I had interesting dialogue with President Ilham Aliyev - INTERVIEW

Baku. 30 August. REPORT.AZ/ Report presents an interview of footballer of the Azerbaijani national team Afran Ismayilov who has departed for Oslo for the match with the Norwegian national team within the qualification round of the 2018 World Cup.

- What result do you hope for from the away match on September 1?

- We are going to play a difficult match. Even though we have a few chances, we will do our best to achieve the maximum results. We have two matches ahead of us. Now, we are leaving for Norway; afterwards, we will play against San Marino in Baku. We are seriously preparing for both matches. If we earn 4 points from these matches, it can be considered a maximum for me, as our away match is very hard. We will try to earn 3 points there. Nevertheless, even one point in Oslo can be considered a great result for us.

- Is Qarabag’s qualifying to the group stage of the Champions League felt on the team’s campus?

- Yes, it has positively impacted the mood. Our head coach Robert Prosinecki congratulated all the football players of Qarabag before the training. He highlighted that it was a great success of the Azerbaijani football.

- President Ilham Aliyev received on August 24 the squad of Qarabag FC What is your impression about that meeting?

- It is an honor for us to be received by the President. A footballer could not be happier. It is everybody’s dream.

- How can you comment on your brief dialogue with the President?

- He met with all the footballers one by one. When it was my turn, he had a small conversation with me. We had an interesting dialogue. He said: “I watch you; you have speed and dribbling, but do not keep the ball behind for a long time, play faster.” It was really a happy moment for me. Meeting with the President, shaking his hand and having a conversation with him are the unforgettable feelings. His sincere conversation has given me motivation.

(At this moment, goalkeeper of the national team Kamran Aghayev intervenes in conversation)

- The President watches and knows all of us. I want to say to the Azerbaijani people to believe in Afran. Some people post unnecessary things on social media. They do not do the right thing. This is Afran with the help of whose goals Qarabag could pass the stages at the Euro Cups.

- How do you evaluate the state of the football players in the national team?

- One of those footballers is him (He points at Kamran Aghayev standing next to him). He gets criticized a lot for his last match at the club. To my mind, currently, Kamran is goalkeeper No 1. He is a strong goalkeeper despite his mistakes.