Leandro Andrade: “I made history individually against Bilbao, but as a team against Hacken”

Leandro Andrade, the Cape Verdean player of Qarabağ, has achieved a rare feat in European football history. He became the first player ever to score in the opening minute of matches in both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. In an interview with the club’s official website, Andrade spoke about this achievement and the upcoming games.

– Leandro, you’ve made history in European football. You’re the first player to score in the opening minute of different UEFA competitions — the Champions League and the Europa League. How did you feel when you heard this news?
"I was surprised. I didn’t know I had broken this record until I saw the news after the game. It’s a positive achievement, and I’m happy to have accomplished it. The only thing that could have made that day better would have been winning the match."

– You scored in the first minute against Häcken and FCSB, and now again against Athletic Bilbao. Is this just a coincidence, or is it the result of Gurban Gurbanov’s tactical instructions?
"Of course, it’s in line with what our coach always demands from us — to start every game focused and attentive from the very first minute. I’d like to keep adding to this statistic, but next time I hope the game ends with a victory. Against Athletic, I made history individually, but against Häcken we made history as a team, as we qualified from the group stage. That’s why that goal remains my favorite."

– Even though you scored an early goal against Athletic, the result wasn’t what you wanted. What could have been done better in that match?
"There were both good and bad moments in the game. I believe we have the potential to perform even better than we did against Athletic. The result is on us — we could have played better. Aleksei’s moment could have changed the outcome — he made the right decision, but credit also goes to Yuri for his great intervention."

– In the next round, on November 5, Qarabağ will face Chelsea in Baku. How’s the team’s mood ahead of that match?
"It will be a very exciting game against Chelsea. But to be honest, I’m not thinking about that match just yet — my focus is on our preparation process. We have two league matches before then and several training sessions to improve our performance. That’s where my full focus is right now."