Stage Image Alternative Text

Pre-Match Report

UEFA Champions League: Live Updates on the Trip to Baku

The journey continues—Baku is calling! Borussia Dortmund will play its third UEFA Champions League match of the current season, the second on the road. Against Sabah FC, the Borussians aim to pick up more points in the group stage. Kickoff at the Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan’s capital is set for Tuesday evening at 6:45 p.m. (CEST). Our live updates will take you along for the ride, from departure to the match!

Monday, October 19, 2026

Here’s what’s on the agenda today:

  • Trip to Baku
  • Final training session at the Olympic Stadium
  • Press conference at the Olympic Stadium with Niko Kovac and Daniel Svensson

+++ Press conference with Niko Kovac and Daniel Svensson +++

Niko Kovac sets the tone: “We have to be sharp, and I hope that as the game progresses, we can showcase the qualities we undoubtedly possess. We’re the clear favorites here, and we want to—and must—win this game.” The coach discusses the current situation, the roster, and the opponent

+++ Final Training Session at the Olympic Stadium +++

A slight change of plans: Instead of starting with the press conference, the on-site program begins with the final training session. At the Olympic Stadium in Baku (capacity: approximately 69,000), the Borussians are training on the field. The scoreboards display “Welcome” and a large BVB logo. After 15 minutes, the public portion ends, and training continues behind closed doors. We’re now heading down to the press conference area…

Inline Image

+++ Hello from Azerbaijan +++

After a five-hour flight, the Borussians have arrived at the Caspian Sea. Some players watched movies on the flight, while others listened to music or played games. Now it’s off to the stadium!

+++ Media session with Lars Ricken +++

Before departing for the third UEFA Champions League match of the current season, Sporting Director Lars Ricken answers journalists’ questions during a press conference and comments on Konstantinos Karetsas, the upcoming trip, and the team’s position in the standings

+++ Arrival at the Airport +++

The team has arrived at the airport and is ready for the trip to Azerbaijan. Konstantinos Karetsas is not traveling after sustaining an injury in the match against Union Berlin. BVB Managing Director Lars Ricken said on Monday: “Kos has a ligament injury in his foot. He won’t be flying to Baku and won’t be able to play against Frankfurt on Saturday either. That’s obviously frustrating, but we initially expected the worst after seeing the reactions of his teammates.

The flight to the Caspian Sea is expected to take about five hours. It’s 10 degrees Celsius in Dortmund. Temperatures of 23 degrees are expected in Baku. We’re taking off!

Inline Image

Inline Image

Inline Image

+++ Unusual Career Path +++

The team’s coach is Valdas Dambrauskas from Lithuania. The current head coach appeared on the Lithuanian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” in 2002 at the age of 25 and used his winnings to finance his coaching education in England. He won 4,000 litas, which at the time was roughly half a year’s salary in his home country.

+++ Here’s the Opponent +++

After a 1–2 loss in the first leg of the playoffs against Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Sabah FC came back from being down twice to win 5–2 in extra time and qualify for the current group stage of the UEFA Champions League. They lost their first match 0–4 at Manchester United. On the second matchday, the team defeated Slavia Prague 2–0 at home. The team is currently ranked 22nd in the standings. Over the weekend, they secured a 4–0 away victory in the national league, where Sabah currently sits in first place.

The club was founded in 2017 and has been playing in Azerbaijan’s top league since 2018. In 2026, the team won the national championship for the first time. After just nine years of existence, the club broke the record as the youngest club ever to qualify for the Champions League group stage (FK Krasnodar previously held this record with twelve years).

+++ The Three Bs +++

Bodø, Berlin, Baku—these are the venues for BVB’s matches over the course of seven days. Now Borussia Dortmund is making its final stop.

+++ Good Morning from Dortmund +++

The final leg of three consecutive away games takes BVB to Azerbaijan. Today’s destination: Baku! Not your typical destination in European club soccer. But this season, the UEFA Champions League makes it possible. The opponent is Sabah FC from Masazır, though the match will be played at the capital’s Olympic Stadium. Upon arrival in the capital, a press conference with head coach Niko Kovac and defender Daniel Svensson is scheduled (live on BVB-TV starting at 5:15 p.m. CEST), followed by the final training session. 

The U19 team is also heading to Azerbaijan, where they’ll face a challenge in the UEFA Youth League on Tuesday. 

Inline Image

More News