Manchester United set for first Champions League meeting with Sabah
United will welcome the Azerbaijani club to Old Trafford on Thursday for a fixture marked by several firsts.
Manchester United are scheduled to host Sabah at Old Trafford on Thursday, bringing the Champions League back to the stadium for the first time since 2023, according to Yahoo Sports.
The fixture will be United’s first against Sabah and their first meeting with a club from Azerbaijan. Sabah was formed in 2017 and has competed in the Conference League and Europa League, but this is reportedly the club’s first campaign beyond the qualifying stage.
The match could also provide Champions League debuts for several United players. Bryan Mbeumo, goalkeeper Senne Lammens and defender Leny Yoro are among those reported not to have appeared in the competition.
For Michael Carrick, the game will be his first European home fixture as United manager. Carrick won the Champions League as a United player in 2008 and reached two further finals, while his only reported European match as a manager was a 2–0 away win against Villarreal in 2021.
The source describes the fixture as historic, with the return of European football to Old Trafford coinciding with United’s first competitive meeting with Sabah and a significant milestone for Carrick and several members of his squad.
