The head coaches of Bayer 04 and Qarabag FC, Xabi Alonso and Gurban Gurbanov, respectively, had a cordial encounter in Baku.

Ednews informs referring to the official website of the Qarabag FC that the meeting took place at the Hilton hotel, where the German club was staying after their arrival in Baku.

Gurbanov expressed his appreciation to Alonso for taking the time to meet him despite the long trip. He asked him about the flight to Baku and said that he was a fan of Bayer 04 in the Bundesliga.

Gurbanov also told Alonso about the beauty, nature and attractions of Azerbaijan and invited him to visit again in a more informal way.

In his part, Alonso thanked Gurbanov for the warm welcome and the kind words. The Spanish coach said that he followed the performance of Qarabag FC in the Azerbaijan Premier League and praised their quality.

Alonso added that he would love to come back to Baku and have another meeting with Gurbanov, not as opponents, but as friends, since they had established a good rapport between the teams.

At the end of the meeting, Gurban Gurbanov presented Xabi Alonso a special gift: a handmade silk Karabakh carpet. The coaches also posed for a souvenir photo.

The Qarabag - Bayer 04 match, which will take place today at the Tofig Bahramov Republic Stadium, will kick off at 21:45 (GMT+4). The second leg of the tie will be played on March 14 in Leverkusen.