Manchester United Gears Up for Champions League Return Against Historic Underdogs Sabah FK

As Manchester United played their first pre-season friendly of the campaign in Helsinki in July, Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK were busy preparing for their fourth competitive Uefa Champions League qualifier just north of the Finnish capital. United dropped their friendly 1-0 to Wrexham on July 18, while Sabah overcame Finnish champions KuPS 2-0 ten days later to seal a 3-0 aggregate victory. Expected to bow out in the qualifying stages, Sabah instead powered through four rounds to earn a historic trip to Old Trafford on Thursday, marking Manchester United's first-ever match against an Azerbaijani side.

For United, this represents their first Champions League appearance since 2023, following an unexpected absence that saw them relegated to the Europa League—where they lost the 2025 final—and eventually miss out on European football entirely last season. While Uefa heavily missed United's massive global popularity, the club urgently needs on-pitch success and the vital broadcast, commercial, and ticket revenue that continental competition brings. Financial struggles from poor recruitment previously forced new decision-makers led by Ineos to cut costs, shifting the club toward living within its means.

Managed by Michael Carrick, United enter the fixture following a mixed start to the Premier League season, which includes a 2-0 defeat at Hull City, a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, and a 2-2 draw with Everton where they conceded a late equalizer. With a grueling schedule expected to reach around 60 games this term, Carrick faces the challenge of squad rotation. New signings like Carlos Baleba are working their way back from injury, while Thursday's fixture leaves United with 48 hours less preparation time ahead of Sunday's upcoming Manchester derby against Manchester City.

Meanwhile, visitors Sabah FK arrive with absolute freedom and virtually nothing to lose. Founded in 2017 and based in a town of 20,000 near Baku, the club captured their first major silverware with the Azerbaijani Cup in 2025, followed by a domestic league-and-cup double last season. Their squad features players from 16 different countries across Africa, the Balkans, and the Caribbean. Sabah is managed by Valdas Dambrauskas, a 49-year-old Lithuanian whose coaching career was initially jumpstarted by prize money won on the Lithuanian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.

Remarkably, Dambrauskas previously spent five years coaching with Manchester United’s Soccer Schools after receiving an opportunity from John Shiels, who currently heads United’s charitable foundation. Now leading the lowest-ranked team in the competition, Dambrauskas has overseen dramatic qualifying turnarounds against TNS, KuPS, Aarhus, and Hapoel Beer-Sheva. Sabah now prepares to face European giants including Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, and Napoli on the grandest stage.