Linfield boss David Healy has warned his players Qarabag will be “baying for blood” in next week’s Europa League play-off return leg in Baku.
The Azerbaijan champions limped out of Belfast on Thursday night following a shock 3-2 defeat to the Blues who were 9/1 outsiders prior to kick-off.
A Mark Stafford header and blistering brace from Shayne Lavery sealed a famous win for the Big Two giants at Windsor Park.
Linfield are now just 90 minutes away from becoming the first Irish League club to reach the group stages where the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal lie in wait.
But while Healy accepts the tie is “in the balance”, he knows Qarabag will be “massive favourites” to put things right in front of their own fans on Thursday night.
“We will be serious underdogs,” he said. “This will be the biggest challenge of my managerial career to go to Baku and test myself against this Qarabag team.
“I’d imagine there’ll be 30,000 or 35,000 fans in the stadium and it will be a really hostile atmosphere. They’ll be baying for our blood.
“It’s great we have something to play for and hopefully we can get a result, but the expectation levels on Qarabag will be huge and they’ll be massive favourites.”
What an achievement - and financial windfall - it would be if Linfield could get the result they need in Baku.
Already guaranteed in the region of £1.3 million, the South Belfast club is set to pocket at least another £2.7 million for reaching the group stage.
“To be one game away from the group stages makes me feel very proud,” said Healy. “But we know how challenging it will.
"We could under perform and lose 5-0 or 6-0 out there. We could also play our socks off and still lose 1-0.
“We have to make sure we’re at our best, maybe ride our luck and you just never know in football. Hopefully it’s the old adage ‘lucky Linfield’.”
One wonders how crucial Magaye Gueye’s last gasp penalty for Qarabag could be come the final whistle at the Bahramov Stadium
“At 3-1, would we be favourites? Probably not,” insisted Healy. “That’s not me putting pressure on Qarabag, you all watched the game and know how good they are.
“We produced a helluva performance, but we’ll almost certainly have to be better than we were in the first leg. It’ll be a massive challenge, but who knows in football.
“I came in at half-time and I was almost shocked that we were winning 2-1, but if you put the ball in right areas you always have a chance of scoring.
“The players deserved immense credit because to beat a team of Qarabag’s quality is incredible.
"Football works in mysterious ways - you just never know.”
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