Baku United’s European adventure goes into unchartered territories this week as they become the first English Futsal club to compete in the Elite Round of the UEFA Futsal Cup.
The FA National Futsal League champions have taken the European scene by storm as they have cruised through the previous qualifying rounds to seal their place in the last 16 of Europe’s elite clubs.
Baku United will face some of Europe's top clubs on their trip to Barcelona
And Baku have headed to Barcelona, where they will take on the famous hosts and current holders of the competition and one of the leading clubs in world Futsal.
The Baku players will have to be at their best to compete with Barcelona, but the other two clubs in their qualifying group will not be push-overs either.
Ukrainian champions Lokomotiv Kharkiv are made up of the key players from within the Ukraine national team, and will pose a significant threat to Baku’s aspirations of qualifying to the final stages of the competition.
The final team to make up the group is Hungarian champions, MVFC Berrettyoujfalu, a somewhat unknown quantity that could be a banana skin if the English team are not careful.
Baku have gone to Barcelona not just to make up the numbers, but to have a serious shot at making the Finals of this competition.
With their experienced Spanish coach Chema Jimenez guiding them, along with international players from across Europe, including Doug Reed, James Dalton and Agon Rexha from the England team, they have much to worry their opponents.
Baku’s fixtures are:
• 19 November - FC Lokomotiv Kharkov v Baku Utd (17:45)
• 20 November - FC Barcelona v Baku Utd (20:45)
• 22 November - Baku Utd v MVFC Berrettyoujfalu (10:00)
