The first round of the Azerbaijan Premier League was notable for the debut of two foreign head coaches, Azernews reports.
Portuguese Jorge Casquilha took charge of "Imishli," and Serbian Sasa Ilic managed "Sumqayit" in their first championship matches.
The Portuguese specialist's team lost at home to "Turan Tovuz" with a score of 0:1, while the Serbian coach celebrated a victory over "Kapaz" with a 3:0 score.
With this, the number of foreign specialists who have appeared as head coaches or assistants in the history of the Premier League (formerly the top division) has reached 67.
While Jorge Casquilha is the first Portuguese to do so, Sasa Ilic is the fifth Serbian.
Moreover, Sasa Ilic has been the third foreign coach for "Sumqayit."
Note that Jorge Casquilha is the first head coach of "Imishli" in the Azerbaijan Premier League.
The Azerbaijan Premier League is the top Azerbaijani professional league for men's association football teams, comprising ten clubs.
Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 36 matches each (playing each team in the league four times, twice at home and twice away).
The Premier League champion secures the right to play in the UEFA Champions League's first qualifying round.
The runner-up and the third-place winner secured the right to play in the UEFA Europa Conference League, starting in the second qualifying round.
Since 1992, a total of 8 clubs have been crowned champions of the Azerbaijani football system.
The Azerbaijan Premier League was first organised in 2007 and succeeded the Top Division, which existed from 1992 to 2007. FC Qarabag won the title in the 2022–2023 season for the tenth time.
The 2024–25 Azerbaijan Premier League marks the 33rd season of Azerbaijan's top-tier football competition.
On April 27, 2025, during the 32nd round of the Premier League, Qarabag FC clinched the title with four matches to spare after a 1–1 draw against Sabah.
This victory made them the champions for the 12th time overall and for the fourth consecutive season.
This season is the final one featuring 10 teams, as the league will expand to 12 teams starting from the 2025–26 season.
