FC Baku

FC Baku (Azerbaijani: "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is 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 earning the National Cup three times.

FC Baku
Full nameBakı Futbol Klubu
Nickname(s)Zolaqlılar (The Stripes)
Founded1997 as Dinamo Baku
GroundFC Baku Training Base,
Baku, Azerbaijan
Capacity2,500
OwnerHafiz Mammadov
WebsiteClub website

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 holding 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] The club was eliminated from the Premier League during the 2014-15 season. In 2015-16 season the team played in the Azerbaijani First Division, and became defunct as a professional club the next year.

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 14 26 9 3 14 33 42 15 Second round K.Nurahmedov 8

European record

As of 21 July 2009.

Competition Matches W D L GF GA
UEFA Champions League 6 2 2 2 7 8
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League 10 2 1 7 7 24
UEFA Intertoto Cup 2 0 2 0 2 2
Total 18 4 5 9 16 34
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1998–99 UEFA Cup 1Q Argeş Piteşti 0–2 1–5 1–7
2005–06 UEFA Cup 1Q MŠK Žilina 1–0 1–3 2–3
2006–07 Champions League 1Q Sioni Bolnisi 1–0 0–2 1–2
2007 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1Q Dacia Chișinău 1–1 1–1 (p 1–3) 2–2
2009–10 Champions League 2QR FK Ekranas 4–2 2–2 6–4
3QR Levski Sofia 0–0 0–2 0–2
2009–10 UEFA Europa League PO FC Basel 1–3 1–5 2–8
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 2QR FK Budućnost 0–3 2–1 2–4
2012–13 UEFA Europa League 1QR ND Mura 05 0–0 0–2 0–2

Notable managers
Further information: List of FC Baku managers

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

Name Period Trophies
Asger 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
Winners (2): 2005–06, 2008–09
Winners (3): 2004–05, 2009–10, 2011–12
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References
  1. Azerbaijan 1998/99
  2. Azerbaijan 1999/00
  3. Azerbaijan 2000/01
  4. Azerbaijan 2001/02
  5. Azerbaijan 2003/04
  6. Azerbaijan 2004–05
  7. 2005/06 UEFA Cup
  8. 2005/06 UEFA Cup
  9. Bakı blitz downs Ekranas
  10. "Two clubs handed 3–0 Europa League defeats by UEFA". Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  11. "UEFA gives technical defeat to Baku FC". Trend News Agency. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  12. Слабый и еще слабее. Azerifootball.com (in Russian). Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  13. СМИ: Клуб Хафиза Мамедова покупает форму на бакинской «толкучке». sportbox.az (in Russian). Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  14. Клуб азербайджанского олигарха Хафиза Мамедова не выплачивает зарплаты футболистам. novosti.az (in Russian). Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  15. "History". FC Baku. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  16. "ФК "Бакы" получил новую учебно-тренировочную базу". mir24.tv. p. Russian. Archived from the original on 7 December 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  17. Топлу Бакы получил заслуженную премию. Azerifootball.com (in Russian). Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  18. ""Toplu Bakı" mükafata layiq görüldü". Stadium.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 28 April 2013.
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