Portuguese media: Qarabag gave Benfica cold douche at Estadio da Luz

Qarabag FK wrote a golden page in the history of Azerbaijani club football with its first victory in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

The Aghdam team defeated Portuguese Benfica 3-2 away in the first round of the tournament. The Qarabag FK staged an incredible comeback, from 0-2 down in just 16 minutes.

The Aghdam club's victory was a true celebration for fans and sparked a storm of emotions across the country.

Furthermore, all of Europe's leading sports publications covered the Aghdam team's success.

In Portugal, the result of the match caused widespread controversy and left Benfica fans in shock.

Report presents a digest of leading Portuguese media outlets on Qarabag's victory.

One of the country's most respected daily newspapers, Público, noted that while Benfica's play appeared flawless in the opening minutes, the Portuguese club fell apart under pressure from Qarabag. The publication writes that Benfica fans openly expressed dissatisfaction with their team's performance, calling it disappointing and mediocrity.  Público compared Qarabag to a "cure" that had unexpectedly made Benfica ill: "Before the match, it was easy to imagine that the team, currently seventh in the Azerbaijani championship, would be the perfect remedy for the Reds' recent woes. After the opening minutes, this impression only deepened: the Azerbaijani club, with obvious weaknesses in pressing, allowed their opponents to play as they pleased. But suddenly, everything changed-and the 'cure' turned into a disease," the publication writes.  

Diário de Notícias, one of the country's oldest newspapers, noted in its article that fans sent off Benfica head coach Bruno Lage and his players with monumental whistles and white handkerchiefs (a call for the head coach's resignation - ed.), further complicating the situation for the coach, who was fired immediately after the match.  

The publication Observador called Qarabag's victory incredible. At the same time, it vividly described the decisive goal of the Aghdam team: "The Eastern team brought the comeback to the end - when a single player, surrounded by five opponents, without much resistance, struck an accurate shot and made the score 3:2."