Qarabag vs Copenhagen Prediction for 2 October 2025 - Football

🔊 Qarabag and Copenhagen emerged as the surprise packages of the Champions League's first round. The Azerbaijani side pulled off a remarkable comeback victory over Benfica in Lisbon. This result earned the Baku club their first-ever three points in the main European competition, surpassing their total from six matches in the 2017/18 season. The Danes also faced a more illustrious opponent, Bayer Leverkusen, and were on the brink of victory themselves. Nevertheless, given the caliber of their opponent, even a draw can be considered a success. Which achievement will carry more weight at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku? Let's delve into our prediction.

Head-to-Head

📊 Copenhagen have made more frequent appearances in the Champions League. However, in the 2017/18 season, Qarabag denied the Danes a spot in the group stage. The teams clashed in the playoff round of qualifying, and by virtue of the away goals rule, the Azerbaijani side advanced (1-0; 1-2).

Qarabag Team Overview

Qarabag have kicked off their 17th season under Gurban Gurbanov with success. After enduring three grueling rounds of Champions League qualification, their opening league match ended in defeat to Sumgayit (0-1). However, the Baku side have since avoided any further slip-ups across all competitions. They are currently on a five-match unbeaten streak and lead the Azerbaijan Premier League in points per game. Their standout result came with their historic first Champions League victory, defeating Benfica in Lisbon (3-2). Not only did they hold their own in possession (47% to 53%) and shots (10 to 14), but they also proved more clinical (1.56 xG to 1.18 xG).

Qarabag's standout players in Champions League qualification have been Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic, with three and two goals respectively over six matches. Gurban Gurbanov is strategically resting these key players for the main European competition, bringing them off the bench in domestic league matches. This approach has paid dividends: both players made decisive contributions against Benfica, with Andrade scoring and Jankovic providing an assist.

Copenhagen Team Overview

The Danes, like Qarabag, navigated through three rounds of Champions League qualification, but unlike their upcoming opponents, they remained unbeaten. Their successful European campaign continued into the league stage. In the first round, they hosted Bayer Leverkusen. Copenhagen had less possession (42% to 58%), yet they posed a greater attacking threat (1.76 xG to 1.09 xG). Unfortunately for the hosts, the scoreline didn't reflect their efforts, ending in a 2-2 draw. However, the Danish Superliga tells a different story. In the first ten rounds, Jakob Neestrup's squad suffered two defeats—just three fewer than in the entire 32-match campaign last season. Nonetheless, Copenhagen hold a solid second place, sitting three points behind Aarhus.

Copenhagen are Denmark's highest-scoring team. Yet, they lack standout goal scorers. The goals are evenly distributed among their attacking players. Leading the scoring charts are Mohamed Elyounoussi and Jordan Larsson, both with five goals across all competitions. Elyounoussi also stands out as the team's top playmaker with five assists, sharing this title with full-back Rodrigo Ueskas.

Latest news

Qarabag

🎙 Qarabag's head coach shared his thoughts on the away win over Benfica. "Our victory doesn't imply that Benfica are weak. That's not the case at all. Benfica handle the ball very well and play with tactical intelligence. I mentioned yesterday that it would be tough for our players, but they would have a lot of desire. I simply told the guys from the start to enjoy this match—it's the Champions League. I told them we need to be bolder. Fortunately, we secured a major victory," said Gurban Gurbanov.

❌ A significant concern for Gurban Gurbanov might be Marco Jankovic. One of the team's key players was forced off during the match against Benfica. He has been absent from the squad for the following two league matches. Summer signing Jonathan Caballero, who is yet to make his debut for Qarabag, injured his thigh while playing for Burgos.

Copenhagen

📌 Denmark enforces strict stadium entry rules, which could impact the attendance of Borussia Dortmund fans at their upcoming clash with Copenhagen. To enter Parken Stadium, fans must present identification, a requirement that has sparked discontent among the "BVB" supporters. In their statement, they noted: "As with our last meeting in November 2022, this match will regrettably have restrictions, including ticket personalization and deviation from the club's ticket distribution system for international away games. Therefore, we will not be attending the match on October 21."

❌ During the first round of the Champions League, Elias Achouri, who assisted the opening goal against Bayer, couldn't finish the match due to an injury. The forward has missed subsequent Danish Superliga fixtures and won't travel to Baku. Additionally, Andreas Cornelius and Magnus Mattsson have sustained injuries throughout the season.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by the Dutch referee Serdar Gözübüyük. This season in the Eredivisie, he has taken charge of six matches, averaging 4.6 yellow cards per game. Over four Champions League games (including qualifiers), Qarabag have received only one yellow card. Copenhagen often fall prey to opponents' provocations, especially away from home, and generally play with less caution—averaging 2.6 bookings over three away games. Our prediction: Copenhagen to win the yellow card battle.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Both teams delight their fans with entertaining football. Copenhagen holds a slight edge in terms of scoring over their last 10 matches, with an average of 3.4 goals compared to Qarabag's 3.3. The Baku side plays with almost no defense—scoring and conceding in 8 of their last 10 matches. The Danes have a lower figure (5 out of 10), but it still highlights defensive lapses. We anticipate both teams finding the net, so we suggest betting on both teams to score (yes).

🚩 Corner Prediction

The coaches of the upcoming opponents advocate for an attacking style of play. Their tactics have proven effective not only in their domestic leagues but also against higher-caliber teams. Qarabag and Copenhagen did not relinquish territorial advantage against Benfica and Bayer. Therefore, we expect an end-to-end match in Baku, likely bypassing the midfield. In this scenario, the visitors should comfortably earn over 4.5 corners.

We're in for a thrilling clash, at least according to the odds. The visitors hold a slight edge, likely due to Copenhagen's extensive European experience compared to Qarabag's. However, the Azerbaijani side has the home advantage, better recent form, and smart squad rotation by their head coach in their favor. We believe Qarabag's key players will be in top physical condition for this match. While their opponents boast more well-known names familiar to European audiences, not all of them will take the field.

Interestingly, the head-to-head history also favors the hosts. Gurban Gurbanov, who led Qarabag to victory over Copenhagen in 2017, still manages the team. Everything suggests that Qarabag won't lose. In fact, the Azerbaijanis might even aim for a win, perhaps with a scoreline of 2-1.