Hapoel Be'er Sheva Could Face Azerbaijan's Sabah in Champions League Playoff

Hapoel Be'er Sheva still needs to overcome Red Star Belgrade in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, a challenging hurdle. However, if they succeed, they will face Sabah FC from Azerbaijan in the playoff round. Sabah has already secured its place in this stage after an impressive victory over Denmark's Aarhus GF.

Sabah, the reigning Azerbaijani champions, is a relatively young club founded in 2017 but has quickly risen to prominence. Last season, they won their first-ever Azerbaijani Premier League title, finishing ahead of Qarabağ FK, a dominant force in Azerbaijani football for years. This success has earned them a historic opportunity to reach the Champions League playoff round for the first time.

The team is known for its aggressive and physical style of play, particularly strong in set-piece situations due to their players' height and aerial ability. They also excel at quick counterattacks following opponent turnovers. Sabah began their European campaign in the first qualifying round, defeating Welsh side TNS with a 4-1 aggregate score. They continued their strong form by beating Finnish club KuPS 3-0 on aggregate in the second round.

In the third qualifying round, Sabah faced Aarhus GF, losing the first leg 2-1 away but delivering a commanding 4-0 home victory to advance. Notably, former Maccabi Haifa player Xander Sabrina scored one of the goals after coming on as a substitute. Should Hapoel Be'er Sheva advance past Red Star Belgrade, they will meet Sabah in the playoff round of the Champions League qualifiers.