# 2019–20 Gabala FC season

The 2019–20 season was Gabala FK's 15th season, and their 14th in the Azerbaijan Premier League, the top-flight of Azerbaijani football. Gabala will also take part in the Azerbaijan Cup and the Europa League. Gabala finished the season in 8th position due to the premature end of the season and were spared relegation, whilst they were due to play Zira in the Semifinal of the Azerbaijan Cup before its cancellation. In the Europa League Gabala were knocked out by Dinamo Tbilisi in the Second Qualifying Round.

## Season events

On 15 June, Gabala announced the signing of Kamal Mirzayev and Sadig Guliyev from Zira, with both players signing one-year contracts.
On 21 June, Gabala signed Fernań López to a one-year contract, with the option of an additional year, from Barakaldo.
On 27 June, Gabala signed Merab Gigauri to a one-year contract from Torpedo Kutaisi.
On 4 July, Gabala signed Christian Kouakou to a one-year contract, with the option of a second, from MFK Karviná.
On 10 July, Gabala signed Clésio to a one-year contract, with the option of a second, from İstanbulspor.
On 19 July, Gabala signed a six-month contract with Ivica Žunić.
On 23 August, new signing Kamal Mirzayev left the club to sign a one-year contract with Al-Salmiya of the Kuwait Premier League.
On 31 August, Sanan Gurbanov resigned as manager following Gabala's 4–0 defeat at home to Keşla.
On 2 September, Gabala announced that Elmar Bakhshiyev had been appointed as the club's caretaker manager.
On 31 October, Gabala announced the signing of Ibrahima Niasse on a contract until the end of the season.
On 7 January, Gabala announced the return of Ehtiram Shahverdiyev on a contract until the summer of 2021.
On 28 January, Niasse left Gabala to sign for PAS Lamia 1964.
On 30 January, Gabala announced the signing of Abdelrafik Gérard on an 18-month contract.
On 4 February, Gabala announced the signing of Nicolas Rajsel on an 18-month contract.
On 11 February, Gabala announced the signing of Rodrigo Gattas, on an 18-month contract.
On 20 February, Gabala announced that they had signed Yaovi Akakpo to a 2.5-year contract at the end of 2019.
On 13 March 2020, the Azerbaijan Premier League was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 21 May 2020, Gabala announced that Amin Seydiyev would leave the club at the end of the season to join Sabah.
On 4 June 2020, Gabala announced that youngsters Samir Maharramli and Idris Ingilabli would also leave the club at the end of the season to join Sabah.
On 19 June 2020, the AFFA announced that the 2019–20 season had been officially ended without the resumption of the remains matches due to the escalating situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Azerbaijan.

## Squad

    As of match played 7 March 2020
| No. | Name | Position | Date of birth (Age) | Signed from | Signed in | Contract ends | Apps. | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| 1 | Anar Nazirov | GK | (1985-09-08)8 September 1985 (aged 34) | Zira | 2019 | 2020 | 54 | 0 |
| 33 | Müşfiq Nadirov | GK | (2002-05-24)24 May 2002 (aged 18) | Trainee | 2020 | | 0 | 0 |
| 94 | Tarlan Ahmadli | GK | (1994-11-21)21 November 1994 (aged 25) | Sabah | 2019 | | 7 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||
| 2 | Amin Seydiyev | DF | (1998-11-15)15 November 1998 (aged 21) | Trainee | 2017 | | 39 | 1 |
| 3 | Ivica Žunić | DF | (1988-09-11)11 September 1988 (aged 31) | Atyrau | 2019 | | 21 | 2 |
| 4 | Sadig Guliyev | DF | (1995-03-09)9 March 1995 (aged 25) | Zira | 2019 | 2020 | 28 | 0 |
| 5 | Rasim Ramaldanov | DF | (1986-01-24)24 January 1986 (aged 34) | Kolkheti-1913 Poti | 2017 | | 39 | 1 |
| 20 | Faig Hajiyev | DF | (1999-05-22)22 May 1999 (aged 21) | Trainee | 2017 | | 4 | 0 |
| 28 | Murad Musayev | DF | (1994-06-13)13 June 1994 (aged 26) | Zira | 2019 | | 38 | 0 |
| 53 | Khayal Muradov | DF | (2001-04-06)6 April 2001 (aged 19) | Trainee | 2019 | | 0 | 0 |
| 74 | Yusif Nabiyev | DF | (1997-09-03)3 September 1997 (aged 22) | Trainee | 2015 | | 21 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||
| 7 | Roman Huseynov | MF | (1997-12-26)26 December 1997 (aged 22) | Trainee | 2015 | | 39 | 2 |
| 8 | Gismat Aliyev | MF | (1996-10-24)24 October 1996 (aged 23) | Trainee | 2014 | | 81 | 1 |
| 9 | Ehtiram Shahverdiyev | MF | (1996-10-01)1 October 1996 (aged 23) | Sumgayit | 2020 | 2021 | 7 | 0 |
| 11 | Asif Mammadov | MF | (1986-08-05)5 August 1986 (aged 33) | Inter Baku | 2015 | | 143+ | 12 |
| 12 | Abdelrafik Gérard | MF | (1993-06-08)8 June 1993 (aged 27) | Union SG | 2020 | 2021 | 4 | 0 |
| 17 | Yaovi Akakpo | MF | (1999-03-11)11 March 1999 (aged 21) | | 2019 | 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Rovlan Muradov | MF | (1998-03-28)28 March 1998 (aged 22) | Trainee | 2017 | | 23 | 4 |
| 21 | Fernań López | MF | (1995-02-10)10 February 1995 (aged 25) | Barakaldo | 2019 | 2020 | 22 | 3 |
| 55 | Idris Ingilabli | MF | (2001-10-06)6 October 2001 (aged 18) | Trainee | 2019 | | 4 | 0 |
| 77 | Merab Gigauri | MF | (1993-01-05)5 January 1993 (aged 27) | Torpedo Kutaisi | 2019 | 2020 | 22 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| 10 | Clésio | FW | (1994-10-11)11 October 1994 (aged 25) | İstanbulspor | 2019 | 2020 | 22 | 3 |
| 14 | Ulvi Isgandarov | FW | (1998-04-17)17 April 1998 (aged 22) | Trainee | 2017 | | 22 | 5 |
| 22 | Rodrigo Gattas | FW | (1991-12-02)2 December 1991 (aged 28) | York9 | 2020 | 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| 32 | Nicolas Rajsel | FW | (1993-05-31)31 May 1993 (aged 27) | KV Oostende | 2020 | 2021 | 4 | 4 |
| Out on loan ||||||||||
| 17 | James Adeniyi | FW | (1992-12-20)20 December 1992 (aged 27) | Skënderbeu Korçë | 2018 | 2021 | 31 | 12 |
| 77 | Samir Gurbanov | MF | (2001-03-21)21 March 2001 (aged 19) | Trainee | 2018 | | 1 | 0 |
| Left during the season ||||||||||
| 6 | Kamal Mirzoyev | MF | (1994-09-14)14 September 1994 (aged 25) | Zira | 2019 | 2020 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | Ibrahima Niasse | MF | (1988-04-18)18 April 1988 (aged 32) | Raja Casablanca | 2019 | 2020 | 40 | 1 |
| 9 | Davit Volkovi | FW | (1995-06-03)3 June 1995 (aged 25) | Saburtalo Tbilisi | 2019 | 2019 | 34 | 10 |
| 13 | Christian Kouakou | FW | (1991-03-01)1 March 1991 (aged 29) | MFK Karviná | 2019 | 2020 | 6 | 0 |
| 15 | Vusal Masimov | DF | (2000-04-03)3 April 2000 (aged 20) | Trainee | 2019 | | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Rustam Nuruyev | DF | (2000-03-06)6 March 2000 (aged 20) | Trainee | 2019 | | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Elmaddin Sultanov | GK | (2001-05-07)7 May 2001 (aged 19) | Trainee | 2019 | | 0 | 0 |
| | Veysal Rzayev | MF | (2002-10-24)24 October 2002 (aged 17) | Trainee | 2019 | | 0 | 0 |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | AZE | Samir Gurbanov (at Viktoria Žižkov until 30 June 2021) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | NGA | James Adeniyi (at Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona until 30 June 2020) |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| Summer 2019 | GK | Tarlan Ahmadli | Sabah | Undisclosed |
| Summer 2019 | DF | Murad Musayev | Zira | Undisclosed |
| 15 June 2019 | DF | Sadig Guliyev | Zira | Undisclosed |
| 15 June 2019 | MF | Kamal Mirzayev | Zira | Undisclosed |
| 21 June 2019 | MF | Fernań López | Barakaldo | Undisclosed |
| 27 June 2019 | MF | Merab Gigauri | Torpedo Kutaisi | Undisclosed |
| 4 July 2019 | FW | Christian Kouakou | MFK Karviná | Undisclosed |
| 10 July 2019 | FW | Clésio | İstanbulspor | Undisclosed |
| 19 July 2019 | DF | Ivica Žunić | Atyrau | Undisclosed |
| 31 October 2019 | MF | Ibrahima Niasse | Raja Casablanca | Undisclosed |
| 7 January 2020 | MF | Ehtiram Shahverdiyev | Sumgayit | Free |
| 30 January 2020 | MF | Abdelrafik Gérard | Union SG | Undisclosed |
| 4 February 2020 | FW | Nicolas Rajsel | KV Oostende | Undisclosed |
| 11 February 2020 | FW | Rodrigo Gattas | York9 | Undisclosed |
| 20 February 2020† | MF | Yaovi Akakpo | | Undisclosed |
    † Transfer announced on the above date.

### Out

| Date | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| 26 June 2019 | DF | Bahlul Mustafazade | Sabah | Undisclosed |
| 9 July 2019 | MF | Abbas Aghazade | Sabah | Undisclosed |
| 23 August 2019 | MF | Kamal Mirzayev | Al-Salmiya | Undisclosed |
| 1 January 2020 | GK | Elmaddin Sultanov | Kapaz | Undisclosed |
| 1 January 2020 | DF | Vusal Masimov | Turan-Tovuz | Undisclosed |
| 1 January 2020 | DF | Rustam Nuruyev | Turan-Tovuz | Undisclosed |
| 1 January 2020 | MF | Veysal Rzayev | Turan-Tovuz | Undisclosed |
| 28 January 2020 | MF | Ibrahima Niasse | PAS Lamia 1964 | Undisclosed |
| 21 May 2020† | DF | Amin Seydiyev | Sabah | Undisclosed |
| 4 June 2020† | MF | Samir Maharramli | Sabah | Undisclosed |
| 4 June 2020† | MF | Idris Ingilabli | Sabah | Undisclosed |
    † Transfer announced on the above date, coming into effect at the end of the season.

### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Date to | Ref. |
| July 2019 | FW | | James Adeniyi | Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona | End of Season | |
| 16 July 2019 | MF | | Samir Gurbanov | Viktoria Žižkov | End of 2020/21 Season | |

### Released

| Date | Position | Name | Joined | Date |
| Summer 2019 | GK | Murad Popov | | |
| Summer 2019 | MF | Ilgar Gurbanov | Sumgayit | 20 August 2019 |
| 1 June 2019 | MF | Javid Huseynov | Zira | 1 June 2019 |
| 3 June 2019 | MF | Elvin Jamalov | Zira | 3 June 2019 |
| 4 June 2019 | DF | Urfan Abbasov | Sabail | 4 June 2019 |
| 4 June 2019 | MF | Lalawélé Atakora | Kazma | |
| 4 June 2019 | MF | Sabien Lilaj | Sektzia Nes Tziona | |
| 4 June 2019 | FW | Steeven Joseph-Monrose | Neftçi | 16 June 2019 |
| 31 December 2019 | FW | Davit Volkovi | Zira | 1 January 2020 |
| 1 January 2020 | FW | Christian Kouakou | Bangladesh Police | |
| 30 June 2020 | DF | Khayal Muradov | Sabah | |
| 30 June 2020 | DF | Ivica Žunić | CFR Cluj | 22 November 2020 |
| 30 June 2020 | MF | Abdelrafik Gérard | | |
| 30 June 2020 | MF | Fernań López | Jagiellonia | 19 September 2020 |
| 30 June 2020 | FW | Clésio | Zira | 18 July 2020 |

### Trial

| Date From | Date To | Position | Nationality | Name | Last Club | Ref. |
| December 2019 | | MF | | Yaovi Akakpo | | |
| January 2020 | | FW | | Kayo Manoel | | |

## Competitions
### Premier League
#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 7 March 2020. Source: See Results

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | L | L | W | D | L | D | D | L | L | W | L | W | D | L | L | L | L | W | W |
| Position | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |

#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 4 | Sumgayit | 20 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 24 | 32 | −8 | 23 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Zira | 20 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 37 | −12 | 23 | |
| 6 | Sabah | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 27 | −8 | 21 | |
| 7 | Sabail | 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 30 | −14 | 20 | |
| 8 | Gabala | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 35 | −10 | 19 | |

### UEFA Europa League
#### Qualifying rounds
## Squad statistics

    As of Match played 7 March 2020

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | Azerbaijan Cup | Azerbaijan Cup | Europa League | Europa League |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | AZE | Anar Nazirov | 19 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | AZE | Amin Seydiyev | 23 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | CRO | Ivica Žunić | 21 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | AZE | Sadig Guliyev | 10 | 0 | 5+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | AZE | Rasim Ramaldanov | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | AZE | Roman Huseynov | 16 | 1 | 10+3 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | AZE | Gismat Aliyev | 23 | 1 | 18+1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | MF | AZE | Ehtiram Shahverdiyev | 5 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | MOZ | Clésio | 22 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | AZE | Asif Mammadov | 16 | 0 | 12+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | FRA | Abdelrafik Gérard | 4 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | AZE | Ulvi Isgandarov | 21 | 4 | 6+12 | 3 | 0+1 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | TOG | Yaovi Akakpo | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | AZE | Rovlan Muradov | 21 | 4 | 10+8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | AZE | Faig Hajiyev | 4 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | ESP | Fernań López | 22 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | CHI | Rodrigo Gattas | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | AZE | Murad Musayev | 9 | 0 | 6+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | SVN | Nicolas Rajsel | 4 | 4 | 3+1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | MF | AZE | Idris Ingilabli | 4 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 74 | DF | AZE | Yusif Nabiyev | 17 | 0 | 12+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 77 | MF | GEO | Merab Gigauri | 22 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 94 | GK | AZE | Tarlan Ahmadli | 7 | 0 | 5+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players away from Gabala on loan: ||||||||||||
| Players who left Gabala during the season: ||||||||||||
| 6 | MF | SEN | Ibrahima Niasse | 5 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | GEO | Davit Volkovi | 18 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | FW | CIV | Christian Kouakou | 6 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |

### Goal scorers

| Place | Position | Number | Name | Premier League | Azerbaijan Cup | Europa League | Total |
| 1 | FW | 9 | Davit Volkovi | 5 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | MF | 19 | Rovlan Muradov | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | FW | 32 | Nicolas Rajsel | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | FW | 14 | Ulvi Isgandarov | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | MF | 21 | Fernań López | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | FW | 10 | Clésio | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | DF | 3 | Ivica Žunić | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | MF | 7 | Roman Huseynov | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | MF | 8 | Gismat Aliyev | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | DF | 2 | Amin Seydiyev | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | | | Own goal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | | | TOTALS | 25 | 6 | 0 | 31 |

### Clean sheets

| Place | Position | Nation | Number | Name | Premier League | Azerbaijan Cup | Europa League | Total |
| 1 | GK | | 1 | Anar Nazirov | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| | | | | TOTALS | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Name | Premier League | Premier League | Azerbaijan Cup | Azerbaijan Cup | Europa League | Europa League | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | Anar Nazirov | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 | DF | Amin Seydiyev | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Ivica Žunić | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Sadig Guliyev | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Rasim Ramaldanov | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Roman Huseynov | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Gismat Aliyev | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| 10 | FW | Clésio | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Asif Mammadov | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 12 | MF | Abdelrafik Gérard | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Ulvi Isgandarov | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 19 | MF | Rovlan Muradov | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Faig Hajiyev | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Fernań López | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| 28 | DF | Murad Musayev | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | Nicolas Rajsel | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 55 | MF | Idris Ingilabli | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 74 | DF | Yusif Nabiyev | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 77 | MF | Merab Gigauri | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 94 | GK | Tarlan Ahmadli | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Players who left Gabala during the season: ||||||||||||
| 6 | MF | Ibrahima Niasse | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Davit Volkovi | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | FW | Christian Kouakou | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 60 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 74 | 5 |