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.
The twelve teams participating in the league included the ten sides remaining from the 2010–11 season, one promoted club from the 2010–11 Azerbaijan First Division and a totally new club instead of the defunct First Division champions FC Absheron. The format of the league was the same as in the 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
TeamLocationVenueCapacityAzərbaycan Peşəkar Liqası AZALBakuAZAL Stadium3,000BakuTofig Bahramov Stadium30,000GabalaGabalaGabala City Stadium2,000InterBakuShafa Stadium8,150KəpəzGanjaGanja City Stadium25,000KhazarLankaranLankaran City Stadium15,000NeftchiBakuTofig Bahramov Stadium30,000QarabağAghdamGuzanli Olympic Stadium2,000Ravan BakuBakuDalga Arena6,500SimurqZaqatalaZaqatala City Stadium3,500SumgayitSumqayitMehdi Huseynzade Stadium16,000TuranTovuzTovuz City Stadium6,800
Personnel and sponsoring TeamManagerTeam captainKit manufacturerShirt sponsorAZAL Vagif Sadygov Agil NabiyevUmbroSilk Way Novruz Azimov Jamshid MaharramovMacronGabala Fatih Kavlak Mahir ShukurovErreàHyundaiInter Kakhaber Tskhadadze Vladimir LevinUmbroIBAKəpəz Fuad Ismayilov Azer MammadovAdidasNakhchivan Car Factory Khazar Yunis Hüseynov Rahid AmirgulievPumaPalmaliNeftchi Boyukagha Hajiyev Rail MalikovAdidasSOCARQarabağ Gurban Gurbanov Rashad SadigovKappaAzersunRavan Baku Bahman Hasanov Miloš ZečevićLegeaNissanSimurq Giorgi Chikhradze Rasim RamaldanovKappaSumgayit Bernhard Raab Samir AbbasovKappaAzerkimyaTuran Asgar Abdullayev Aftandil HajiyevKappaSivArt TV PLUS
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment AZAL Resigned 7 July 2011 Pre-season Elkhan Abdullayev 12 July 2011 Neftchi Resigned 29 July 2011 Pre-season Boyukagha Hajiyev 2 August 2011 Ravan Baku Bahman Hasanov Resigned 20 September 2011 11th 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 Sacked 5 February 2012 8th Bahman Hasanov 6 February 2012 Simurq Mutually terminated 5 March 2012 10th 5 March 2012 Simurq End of tenure as caretaker 11 March 2012 10th 11 March 2012 FC Baku 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 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
Results
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
Results
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
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Bahodir Nasimov16Neftchi2 Yuriy Fomenko11Kapaz 3 Tales Schutz10AZAL Flavinho10Neftchi Zouhir Benouahi10AZAL 4 Dodô9Gabala 5 Robertas Poškus8Simurq Branimir Subašić8Khazar Lankaran Yannick Kamanan8Gabala
Last updated: 11 May 2012 Source: Azerbaijan Premier League
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Bahodir Nasimov Neftchi Baku AZAL 7–1 Deividas Česnauskis FK Baku Khazar Lankaran 4–1
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 MonthAzerbaijan Professional Football League AwardsPlayerClubAugust Ceyhun SultanovKəpəz September Rashad AbdullayevNeftchiOctober Winston ParksBaku November FlavinhoNeftchi December Bachana TskhadadzeInter BakuFebruary Afran IsmayilovQarabağMarch Yannick KamananGabalaApril Deividas ČesnauskisBakuMay Eder BonfimKhazar
Annual awards AwardPFL Seasonal Awards PlayerClubBest Goalkeeper Kamran AgayevKhazarBest Defender Ruslan AbishovKhazarBest Midfielder Adrian PițKhazarBest Forward Rauf AliyevQarabağPlayer of the Year FlavinhoNeftchiYoung Player of the Year Nurlan NovruzovBakuManager of the Year Boyukagha HajiyevNeftchi
See also 2011–12 Azerbaijan First Division 2011–12 Azerbaijan Cup List of Azerbaijan football transfers summer 2011 List of Azerbaijan football transfers winter 2012
References