Hapoel Be'er Sheva Fans Receive 1,900 Tickets for Champions League Return Match in Baku

Hapoel Be'er Sheva celebrated a 2-1 victory over Sabah in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff, putting them one win away from a historic qualification to Europe's premier club competition. Despite the positive result, the team and its supporters know the challenge is far from over as they prepare for the return leg in Baku, Azerbaijan. The squad, led by coach Ran Kojuch, will travel to Baku on Saturday night for the decisive match, where approximately 1,900 tickets have been allocated for Be'er Sheva fans. The Israeli club is aware that the aggregate score is fragile and that the players must maintain intense focus to secure advancement.

The return match will take place at the Topik Bakhramov Stadium in Baku, home to Qarabağ FK, which has a seating capacity exceeding 31,000. The stadium has a unique history: originally constructed in the shape of the Cyrillic letter 'C' as a tribute to Joseph Stalin, its construction was halted during World War II and later completed by German prisoners of war. Following a de-Stalinization process, the stadium was renamed in 1993 after Topik Bakhramov, a famous Azerbaijani football referee known for validating the controversial 'ghost goal' in the 1966 World Cup final. Besides football, the stadium has hosted major international music stars such as Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, and Shakira. Hapoel Be'er Sheva remains cautiously optimistic as they aim to make history in the Champions League.