FC Baku

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.

Baku

Full name	Bakı Futbol Klubu
Nickname(s)	Zolaqlılar (The Stripes)
Founded	1997 as Dinamo Baku
Dissolved	2018
Ground	FC Baku Training Base, Baku, Azerbaijan
Capacity	2,500
Home colours Away colours Third colours

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]

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

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.^{[citation needed]} 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

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

Updated 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[note 1]	2–1	2–4
2012–13	UEFA Europa League	1QR		ND Mura 05	0–0	0–2	0–2

1. UEFA awarded Budućnost Podgorica a 3–0 win due to Baku fielding a suspended player.^[20] The original match had ended in a 2–1 win for Baku.

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
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
  • Champions (2): 2005–06, 2008–09
• Azerbaijan Cup
  • Winners (3): 2004–05, 2009–10, 2011–12

References

1. "Azerbaijan 1998/99". Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
2. "Azerbaijan 1999/00". Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
3. "Azerbaijan 2000/01". Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
4. "Azerbaijan 2001/02". Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
5. "Azerbaijan 2003/04". Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
6. "Azerbaijan 2004–05". Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
7. "2005/06 UEFA Cup". Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
8. "2005/06 UEFA Cup". Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
9. "Bakı blitz downs Ekranas". Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
10. "Champions League Qualifying (Sky Sports)". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
11. "Two clubs handed 3–0 Europa League defeats by UEFA". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
12. "UEFA gives technical defeat to Baku FC". Trend News Agency. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
13. Слабый и еще слабее. Azerifootball.com (in Russian). Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. "History". FC Baku. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2015.^{[self-published source]}
17. "ФК "Бакы" получил новую учебно-тренировочную базу". mir24.tv. p. Russian. Archived from the original on 7 December 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
18. Топлу Бакы получил заслуженную премию. Azerifootball.com (in Russian). Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
19. ""Toplu Bakı" mükafata layiq görüldü". Stadium.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
20. "Győr, Budućnost Podgorica awarded default wins –". UEFA. 22 July 2010. Archived from the original on 24 October 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2012.

External links

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