Manchester United begin their Champions League campaign against Azerbaijan side Sabah FK at Old Trafford this evening

By Jack Flintham, Sport Central Audience Writer
13:00, 10 Sep 2026

Those heading to Old Trafford tonight would be forgiven for not knowing too much about Manchester United's first Champions League opponents of the season. Sabah FK defied the odds to make it this far in Europe's most prestigious competition. This month, Sabah turn nine years old and celebrated this anniversary by running the gauntlet to reach the Champions League

Their journey started in Wales against The New Saints (TNS) back in July. After progressing 4-1 on aggregate against the Cymru Premier side, Sabah defeated KuPS, AGF and finally Hapoel Be'er Sheva, to set up a date with the Reds.

"Sabah FK is a relatively young club that completely disrupted the traditional hierarchy of the Azerbaijan Premier League by securing the domestic double, the league title and the Azerbaijan Cup, in the 2025/26 season," Azerbaijani sports journalist Nargiz Mammadzada told MEN Sport. This rise to the top in Azerbaijan did not come by simply chucking money at the team though.

"Qarabag’s long-standing monopoly was broken not through sheer financial muscle or massive spending, but via a highly efficient, analytics-driven transfer policy," she continued. "By identifying undervalued talent and prioritising structural cohesion over marquee signings, they built a squad capable of sustained consistency across the domestic campaign.

"Following their qualification for the UEFA Champions League league phase, President Ilham Aliyev allocated five million manats (approximately £2.17m) in financial support to the club. Instead of utilising this windfall on immediate first-team transfers, Sabah matched the funds with their own resources to launch a 10 million manat (approximately £4.34m) youth football initiative, investing heavily in their academy youngsters through modern coaching methods, sports science, and performance analytics."

This prioritisation on youth football has meant Sabah has captured the hearts of those in Azerbaijan. While in England, and across Europe's biggest football leagues, their exposure to Azerbaijani football has come solely through Qarabag, many back home hope Sabah can show there is more to the league than the traditionally dominant club.

"Tonight's fixture at Old Trafford is a watershed moment for Azerbaijani football," Mammadzada explained. "For years, Qarabag has been the sole torchbearer for the nation in European competitions. Sabah reaching the Champions League main stage and facing a global powerhouse like Manchester United signals a structural maturation of the domestic league.

"It proves to a broader European audience that Azerbaijani football is developing beyond a single dominant club and that smart investments in scouting and modern coaching can yield international dividends on the biggest stage." Spearheading Sabah's historic Champions League debut is head coach Valdas Dambrauskas.

Dambrauskas funded his journey to coaching with an appearance on Lithuania's version of 'Who wants to be a millionaire?' He took the winnings from his performance on the game show to study for his coaching badges in England, even spending time at United to gain the relevant experience needed.

But a focus on his unconventional route into coaching threatens to do Dambrauskas a disservice. "His rise from winning a Lithuanian television sports quiz to fund his English coaching badges, to managing in the Champions League is a compelling narrative, but his tactical acumen is what sustains his success," Mammadzada said.

"Having spent his early career working within the youth academies of Fulham, Brentford, and, crucially, Manchester United, he has a deep understanding of English football structures. Tactically, he favours a modern, progressive approach.

"He recently stated that, unlike traditional managers who maintain a strict distance from their squad, his core philosophy is to remain as close to his players as possible. This approach has fostered an incredibly tight-knit, resilient dressing room at Sabah, translating into high-intensity, disciplined performances on the pitch."

And this 'Band of Brothers' philosophy is more than just an honourable approach, Mammadzada believes it could hurt United tonight. "While Manchester United enters the match as heavy favourites, they have shown vulnerabilities," she concluded.

"United’s attack has recently looked blunt, often forcing Matheus Cunha to drop deep to link play in the absence of a fully fit, traditional centre-forward. Sabah is well-equipped to exploit this frustration.

"Dambrauskas sets his teams up with immense defensive discipline, and if Sabah can successfully absorb early pressure, they possess the transitional speed to exploit the spaces left by United's advanced fullbacks like Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui.

"A historic upset at Old Trafford is a monumental task. But a highly tactical, disruptive performance that frustrates Michael Carrick's side is entirely realistic."