# 2011–12 Azerbaijan Premier League

The 2011–12 Azerbaijan Premier League (known as the Unibank Premyer Liqası for sponsorship reasons) was the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. Neftchi Baku was the defending champions, having won their second Azerbaijani championship the previous season.
A total of twelve teams participated in the league, the ten sides remaining of the 2010–11 season, one promoted club from the 2010–11 Azerbaijan First Division and a totally new club instead of defunct First Division champions FC Absheron. The format of the league was same as 2010–11 season.
There is only one change in season's regulation as only champion of 2011–12 Azerbaijan First Division was directly promoted, while runners up of first division played play-off game with the team that finished 11th in Azerbaijan Premier League.

## Teams

MOIK Baku were relegated to the Azerbaijan First Division after finishing 12th and last, at the end of last season. They were replaced by First Division champions FC Absheron and runners-up Ravan Baku. However, due sponsorship problems Absheron became defunct and replaced by Sumgayit City F.C.
On 31 May 2011, it was announced that FK Ganja changed their name to FC Kəpəz. On 18 July 2011, FK Mughan also ruled out to participate in this season due sponsorship reasons and replaced by Simurq PFC.

### Stadia and locations

| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity |
| AZAL | Baku | AZAL Stadium | 3,000 |
| FK Baku | Baku | Tofig Bahramov Stadium | 30,000 |
| Gabala | Gabala | Gabala City Stadium | 2,000 |
| Inter | Baku | Shafa Stadium | 8,150 |
| Kəpəz | Ganja | Ganja City Stadium | 25,000 |
| Khazar | Lankaran | Lankaran City Stadium | 15,000 |
| Neftchi | Baku | Tofig Bahramov Stadium | 30,000 |
| Qarabağ | Aghdam | Guzanli Olympic Stadium | 2,000 |
| Ravan Baku | Baku | Dalga Arena | 6,500 |
| Simurq | Zaqatala | Zaqatala City Stadium | 3,500 |
| Sumgayit | Sumqayit | Mehdi Huseynzade Stadium | 16,000 |
| Turan | Tovuz | Tovuz City Stadium | 6,800 |

### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Manager | Team captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| AZAL | Vagif Sadygov | Agil Nabiyev | Umbro | Silk Way |
| FC Baku | Novruz Azimov | Jamshid Maharramov | Macron | |
| Gabala | Fatih Kavlak | Mahir Shukurov | Erreà | Hyundai |
| Inter | Kakhaber Tskhadadze | Vladimir Levin | Umbro | IBA |
| Kəpəz | Fuad Ismayilov | Azer Mammadov | Adidas | Nakhchivan Car Factory |
| Khazar | Yunis Hüseynov | Rahid Amirguliev | Puma | Palmali |
| Neftchi | Boyukagha Hajiyev | Rail Malikov | Adidas | SOCAR |
| Qarabağ | Gurban Gurbanov | Rashad Sadigov | Kappa | Azersun |
| Ravan Baku | Bahman Hasanov | Miloš Zečević | Legea | Nissan |
| Simurq | Giorgi Chikhradze | Rasim Ramaldanov | Kappa | |
| Sumgayit | Bernhard Raab | Samir Abbasov | Kappa | Azerkimya |
| Turan | Asgar Abdullayev | Aftandil Hajiyev | Kappa | SivArt TV PLUS |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| AZAL | Nazim Suleymanov | Resigned | 7 July 2011 | Pre-season | Elkhan Abdullayev | 12 July 2011 |
| Neftchi | Arif Asadov | Resigned | 29 July 2011 | Pre-season | Boyukagha Hajiyev | 2 August 2011 |
| Ravan Baku | Bahman Hasanov | Resigned | 20 September 2011 | 11th | Vladislav Kadyrov | 20 September 2011 |
| AZAL | Elkhan Abdullayev | Resigned | 31 October 2011 | 10th | Rafig Mirzayev | 1 November 2011 |
| Gabala | Tony Adams | Resigned | 16 November 2011 | 6th | Fatih Kavlak | 16 November 2011 |
| Kapaz | Mehman Allahverdiyev | Resigned | 21 November 2011 | 10th | Mirbaghir Isayev | 21 November 2011 |
| Khazar Lankaran | Mircea Rednic | Sacked | 4 December 2011 | 3rd | Cüneyt Biçer | 5 December 2011 |
| Kapaz | Mirbaghir Isayev | Resigned | 24 December 2011 | 10th | Fuad Ismayilov | 1 January 2012 |
| Ravan Baku | Vladislav Kadyrov | Sacked | 5 February 2012 | 8th | Bahman Hasanov | 6 February 2012 |
| Simurq | Sergey Yuran | Mutually terminated | 5 March 2012 | 10th | Igor Getman | 5 March 2012 |
| Simurq | Igor Getman | End of tenure as caretaker | 11 March 2012 | 10th | Giorgi Chikhradze | 11 March 2012 |
| FC Baku | Aleksandrs Starkovs | Mutually terminated | 11 March 2012 | 5th | Novruz Azimov | 11 March 2012 |
| Khazar Lankaran | Cüneyt Biçer | Sacked | 15 March 2012 | 4th | Yunis Hüseynov | 15 March 2012 |
| AZAL | Rafig Mirzayev | Mutually terminated | 2 April 2012 | 7th | Mais Azimov | 2 April 2012 |
| AZAL | Mais Azimov | End of tenure as caretaker | 6 April 2012 | 7th | Vagif Sadygov | 6 April 2012 |

## Season events
### Inter Baku scandal

On 21 August 2011, Inter Baku - FK Baku game was suspended during last minutes due referee scandal, therefore game's fate decided after Professional Football League of Azerbaijan's decision. On 23 August 2011, PFL awarded 3-0 technical victory to FK Baku and announced the following punishments were given to Inter Baku's individuals:
* Georgi Nikolov, club's chairman: 5 game ban from football and fined 5,000 AZN.
* Kakhaber Tskhadadze: fined 1,000 AZN.
* Giorgi Lomaia: 2 game ban and fined 2,000 AZN.
Furthermore, Inter Baku fined additional 13,000 AZN for breaching security regulations.

### Khazar Lankaran and Turan controversy

On 6 August 2011, the Disciplinary Committee of AFFA imposed the punishment on the scandal that took place in two matches. Khazar Lankaran fined 10,000 AZN after club's fans threw alien objects to the court, injuring the head of Inter Baku's coach Kakhaber Tskhadadze. Khazar also must play its next two league home matches in an empty stadium because of its fans' aggressive behavior.
AFFA fined Turan Tovuz 26,000 AZN and moved its next two league home matches on a neutral ground for injuring referees, breaking PFL camera as well as for refusing to play at the second half of 2011–12 Azerbaijan Cup. The club's president Musa Suleymanov has been disqualified for five matches and club received technical defeat of 0-3.

## First round
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Neftçi Baku | 22 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 45 | 17 | +28 | 49 | Qualification for championship group |
| 2 | Inter Baku | 22 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 10 | +11 | 45 | Qualification for championship group |
| 3 | Khazar Lankaran | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 33 | 19 | +14 | 44 | Qualification for championship group |
| 4 | Qarabağ | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 41 | Qualification for championship group |
| 5 | Baku | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 22 | +5 | 35 | Qualification for championship group |
| 6 | Gabala | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 23 | +4 | 35 | Qualification for championship group |
| 7 | AZAL | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 29 | Qualification for relegation group |
| 8 | Ravan Baku | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 29 | −6 | 25 | Qualification for relegation group |
| 9 | Kapaz | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 26 | 38 | −12 | 22 | Qualification for relegation group |
| 10 | Simurq | 22 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 34 | −16 | 19 | Qualification for relegation group |
| 11 | Sumgayit | 22 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 37 | −21 | 15 | Qualification for relegation group |
| 12 | Turan | 22 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 33 | −20 | 11 | Qualification for relegation group |

### Results

| Home \ Away | AZL | BAK | KAP | INT | KHA | SIM | NEF | QAR | GAB | RAV | SUM | TUR |
| AZAL | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 6–3 | 3–2 |
| Baku | 0–0 | | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 |
| Kapaz | 3–1 | 1–3 | | 0–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Inter Baku | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Khazar Lankaran | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Simurq | 0–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Neftçi Baku | 7–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 |
| Qarabağ | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 |
| Gabala | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Ravan Baku | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Sumgayit | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | | 1–0 |
| Turan | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | |

## Second round
### Championship group

The top six teams of the first phase participate in this group, which will decide which team will win the championship. Additionally, teams in this group compete for one 2012–13 Champions League and two Europa League spots.
The winners will qualify for the Champions League Second qualifying round, with the runners-up and third place team earning a spot in the Europa League first qualifying round.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Neftçi Baku (C) | 32 | 20 | 3 | 9 | 55 | 30 | +25 | 63 | Qualification for Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Khazar Lankaran | 32 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 44 | 28 | +16 | 59 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Inter Baku | 32 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 29 | 21 | +8 | 56 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Qarabağ | 32 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 37 | 28 | +9 | 53 | |
| 5 | Gabala | 32 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 43 | 32 | +11 | 52 | |
| 6 | Baku | 32 | 15 | 5 | 12 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 50 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
* 1 2 Baku qualified for the first qualifiying round of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League as winner of the 2011–12 Azerbaijan Cup.

#### Results

| Home \ Away | BAK | INT | KHA | NEF | QAR | GAB |
| Baku | | 0–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 |
| Inter Baku | 1–0 | | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Khazar Lankaran | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Neftçi Baku | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Qarabağ | 2–4 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–1 |
| Gabala | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | |

### Relegation group

The bottom six teams of the first phase will determine the teams to be relegated to the 2012–13 Azerbaijan First Division. The bottom team of this group will be directly relegated, while the fifth-placed team will have to compete in relegation/promotion playoffs with the second-placed teams of the 2011–12 Azerbaijan First Division. On April 30, due decision of Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, no clubs from Azerbaijan First Division will be promoted which means all clubs from this season will be remaining in the league.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 7 | AZAL | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 44 | |
| 8 | Ravan Baku | 32 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 41 | |
| 9 | Simurq | 32 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 27 | 41 | −14 | 34 | |
| 10 | Kapaz | 32 | 9 | 5 | 18 | 35 | 55 | −20 | 32 | |
| 11 | Turan (R) | 32 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 42 | −16 | 25 | Qualification for relegation playoffs |
| 12 | Sumgayit (R) | 32 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 27 | 52 | −25 | 24 | Relegation to Azerbaijan First Division |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AZL | KAP | RAV | SIM | SUM | TUR |
| AZAL | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Kapaz | 0–2 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 |
| Ravan Baku | 2–0 | 5–1 | | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 |
| Simurq | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Sumgayit | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 1–1 |
| Turan | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | |

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

    As of 11 May 2012
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Bahodir Nasimov | 16 | Neftchi |
| 2 | Yuriy Fomenko | 11 | Kapaz |
| 3 | Tales Schutz | 10 | AZAL |
| 3 | Flavinho | 10 | Neftchi |
| 3 | Zouhir Benouahi | 10 | AZAL |
| 4 | Dodô | 9 | Gabala |
| 5 | Robertas Poškus | 8 | Simurq |
| 5 | Branimir Subašić | 8 | Khazar Lankaran |
| 5 | Yannick Kamanan | 8 | Gabala |
Last updated: 11 May 2012 Source: Azerbaijan Premier League

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Bahodir Nasimov | Neftchi Baku | AZAL | 7–1 | 11 December 2011 |
| Deividas Česnauskis | FK Baku | Khazar Lankaran | 4–1 | 14 April 2012 |

### Scoring

* First goal of the season: John Pelu for Ravan Baku against Kəpəz (6 August 2011)
* Fastest goal of the season: 1st minute,
** Shahin Karimov for Kəpəz against AZAL (11 September 2011)
** Dejan Rusič for Khazar Lankaran against Kəpəz (16 December 2011)
* Latest goal of the season: 90+4 minutes,
** Ramazan Abbasov for Ravan Baku against Simurq (19 August 2011)
** Akif Taghiyev for Turan Tovuz against Simurq (25 August 2012)
* Largest winning margin: 6 goals
** Neftchi Baku 7–1 AZAL(11 December 2012)
* Highest scoring game: 9 goals
** AZAL 6–3 Sumgayit(7 March 2012)
* Most goals scored in a match by a single team: 7 goals
** Neftchi Baku 7–1 AZAL(11 December 2012)
* Most goals scored in a match by a losing team: 3 goals
** AZAL 6–3 Sumgayit(7 March 2012)

### Clean sheets

* Most clean sheets: 17
** Inter Baku
* Fewest clean sheets: 4
** Kəpəz

### Discipline

* Most yellow cards (club): 82
** AZAL
* Most yellow cards (player): 12
** Vidas Alunderis (Simurq)
* Most red cards (club): 7
** Inter Baku
** Ravan Baku
** Kəpəz
* Most red cards (player): 3
** Tagim Novruzov (Ravan Baku)

## Awards
### Monthly awards

| Month | Azerbaijan Professional Football League Awards | Azerbaijan Professional Football League Awards |
| Month | Player | Club |
| August | Ceyhun Sultanov | Kəpəz |
| September | Rashad Abdullayev | Neftchi |
| October | Winston Parks | Baku |
| November | Flavinho | Neftchi |
| December | Bachana Tskhadadze | Inter Baku |
| February | Afran Ismayilov | Qarabağ |
| March | Yannick Kamanan | Gabala |
| April | Deividas Česnauskis | Baku |
| May | Eder Bonfim | Khazar |

### Annual awards

| Award | PFL Seasonal Awards | PFL Seasonal Awards |
| Award | Player | Club |
| Best Goalkeeper | Kamran Agayev | Khazar |
| Best Defender | Ruslan Abishov | Khazar |
| Best Midfielder | Adrian Piț | Khazar |
| Best Forward | Rauf Aliyev | Qarabağ |
| Player of the Year | Flavinho | Neftchi |
| Young Player of the Year | Nurlan Novruzov | Baku |
| Manager of the Year | Boyukagha Hajiyev | Neftchi |