FC Baku

FC Baku

Full name	Bakı Futbol Klubu
Nickname(s)	Zolaqlılar (The Stripes)
Founded	1997 (1997)
Ground	FC Baku Training Base, Baku, Azerbaijan
Ground Capacity	2,500
Owner	Hafiz Mammadov
Manager	Novruz Azimov
League	Azerbaijan First Division
2014–15	9th (relegated)
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours Third colours

FC Baku (Azerbaijani: "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku, Azerbaijan, that currently plays in the Azerbaijan Premier League. The club have won two national league titles and three Azerbaijan Cups. Baku is also one of the associate members of the European Club Association, an organization that replaced the previous G-14 which consists of major football clubs in Europe.

History

Early years (1997–2004)

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

Success era (2004–2008)

In 2004, club renamed to the FC Baku, after changes by the new chairman. New management began from radical changes. Elkhan Abdullayev was replaced by Asgar Abdullayev immediately after the first defeat on second week. Azerbaijan national football team former manager was able to establish the team playing style. FC Baku gained some important victories over the opponents and was helding a pole position until February 2005. At the end of the season Asgar Abdullayev concentrated on Azerbaijan Cup, where his team reached the Final game. In 2004–05 season, Baku managed to finish at 5th position.^[6]

But the returning to European cups proved unsuccessful. In UEFA Cup 2004-05 season first qualifying match, Baku was beaten by Slovakian side MŠK Žilina, 2–3 on aggregate, although they won a first leg in Baku, 1–0.^[7][8]

Baku's line up before a 2009–10 UEFA Champions League 2QR match against Ekranas

In 2008, after poor first season, the club celebrated their second title with Gjoko Hadžievski. Under his charge, FC Baku became the first Azerbaijani team to qualify to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The team passed Ekranas in the second qualifying round after 2–2 in Lithuania and 4–2 win in Tofik Bakhramov Stadium in the second leg.^[9]

Downfall and financial struggles (2008–present)

In 2010, the club was handed a two-match suspension by UEFA for fielding Joël Epalle, who was ineligible to play at the time despite winning both legs against Budućnost.^[10][11]

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.^[12]

In 2014, the club owner Hafiz Mammadov's financial difficulties forced number of players and personnel to seek new clubs, leaving club's future uncertain.^[13][14]

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.^[15] 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 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 finish 2010, but construction is currently on hold.

The club's training base is currently used for its domestic games, which holds 2,000 fans.^[16]

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.^[17][18]

League and domestic cup history

Post-independence period

Season	League									Azerbaijan Cup	Top goalscorer
	Div.	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P		Name	League
1997–98	1st	2	26	16	6	4	48	20	54		Ismayilov	14
1998–99	1st	6	36	18	5	13	54	34	59	Semi-finals	Ismayilov	15
1999–00	1st	6	22	9	4	9	21	17	31	Quarter-finals	P.Aliyev	8
2000–01	1st	6	20	9	2	9	30	29	29	Semi-finals	P.Aliyev	13
2001–02	1st	11	30	0	4	26	17	70	4	1/8 Finals
2003–04	1st	5	26	12	5	9	45	32	41	1/8 Finals	Mahmudov	10
2004–05	1st	5	34	21	10	3	60	14	73	Winners	Pérez	13
2005–06	1st	1	26	18	4	4	42	12	58	Quarter-finals	Gomes	8
2006–07	1st	3	24	14	6	4	25	10	48	Quarter-finals	Gomes Pérez	6
2007–08	1st	8	26	8	11	7	35	26	35	Quarter-finals	Pérez	8
2008–09	1st	1	26	20	2	4	54	13	62	Semi-finals	Mujiri	11
2009–10	1st	2	42	17	14	11	41	32	65	Winners	Jabá	10
2010–11	1st	6	32	10	10	12	33	32	40	Semi-finals	Jabá	7
2011–12	1st	6	32	15	5	12	42	37	50	Winners	Parks	8
2012–13	1st	5	32	9	14	9	33	27	41	Semi-finals	Pena	6
2013–14	1st	5	36	16	9	11	53	43	57	Quarter-finals	R.Aliyev	9
2014–15	1st	9	32	3	8	21	19	68	17	Quarter-finals	N.Novruzov	15
2015–16	2nd									Second round

European record

As of 21 July 2009.

Season	Competition	Round		Club	Home	Away
1998–99	UEFA Cup	1Q		FC Argeş Piteşti	0–2	1–5
2005–06	UEFA Cup	1Q		MŠK Žilina	1–0	1–3
2006–07	Champions League	1Q		Sioni Bolnisi	1–0	0–2
2007	UEFA Intertoto Cup	1Q		Dacia Chisinau	1–1	1–1 (p 1–3)
2009–10	Champions League	2QR		FK Ekranas	4–2	2–2
		3QR		Levski Sofia	0–0	0–2
2009–10	UEFA Europa League	PO		FC Basel	1–3	1–5
2010–11	UEFA Europa League	2QR		FK Budućnost	0–3	2–1
2012–13	UEFA Europa League	1QR		ND Mura 05	0–0	0–2

Players

Azerbaijani teams are limited to nine players without Azerbaijani citizenship. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player; several non-European players on the squad have dual citizenship with an EU country.

Current squad

As of 29 January 2016

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 4 DF Ulvi Aliyev 7 FW Raul Yagubzade 9 MF Matin Abilsoy 11 FW Kamil Nurahmadov 12 GK Elkhan Ahmadov 15 DF Ravan Karimov 17 FW Elmin Asgarli 20 FW Valeh Seyidov 21 DF Elshad Manafov (captain) 26 GK Davud Asgarov 29 MF Salman Altukhanov

No. Position Player 35 MF Habil Nurahmadov 36 MF Etibar Sayilov 40 MF Vugar Namazaliyev 41 MF Mushfig Ilyasov 42 MF Gurban Huseynov 43 MF Aghali Aghaliyev 44 DF Tural Adigozalov 49 DF Elmar Mirzayev 54 DF Nijat Asgarov 56 MF Geyrat Aliyev 96 GK Sabuhi Aliyev

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player FW Nurlan Novruzov (at Zira)

No. Position Player

Notable managers

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

Name	Period	Trophies
Asgar Abdullayev	2004–06	Azerbaijan Cup
Boyukagha Hajiyev	2006–07	Azerbaijan Premier League
Gjoko Hadžievski	2007–10	Azerbaijan Premier League
Cüneyt Biçer	2010	Azerbaijan Cup
Novruz Azimov	2012	Azerbaijan Cup

Honours

• Azerbaijan League

Winners (2): 2005–06, 2008–09

• Azerbaijan Cup

Winners (3): 2004–05, 2009–10, 2011–12

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to FC Baku.

• Official website
• FK Baku at UEFA.COM
• FK Baku at EUFO.DE
• FK Baku at Weltfussball.de
• FK Baku at Football-Lineups.com