Maxim Medvedev: Biography

Maxim Medvedev is an Azerbaijani player of Russian origin. One of the key defenders of the national team of Azerbaijan and one of the leading clubs of this country is "Karabakh" from Agdam.

The native of Baku

The athlete was born on September 29, 1989 in the capital of Azerbaijan Baku. Maxim Medvedev, still in his youth, was carried away by football. Almost immediately he got into the system of one of the most famous clubs of the country - "Garabagh". Although the team officially represents the town of Agdam, in reality it does not appear in it.

The matter is that Agdam in 1993 passed under the control of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, after that "Garabagh" moved to Baku, where it still performs with a small break, connected with the reconstruction of the Ismet Gaibov stadium.

In the youth structure

In 2004, Maxim Borisovich got into the location of the youth team "Garabagh". For a double, he spent two seasons - until 2006.

It was in this team that Medvedev showed himself as a promising talented football player, his brilliant defense game first guaranteed him a place in the team, the call to the main team did not take long.

In 2006, at the age of 17, Medvedev became the player of the main team of Baku. In parallel, there are challenges to youth and youth national teams, in which he plays in qualifying matches for the World and European Championships. True, unsuccessfully.

The first season in the adult team

In 2006, the young player could not get into the starting line immediately. In addition, the team was going through hard times - the game in the championship of Azerbaijan did not go well. Victories that year were "rare" for "Karabakh", so the risk of taking a key position in the defense of the team, putting a young and inexperienced player in there, the coaches did not dare.

As a result, "Garabagh" won in that season only 6 matches out of 24. Such a depressing result did not allow to enter the fight for medals and places in European competition, but for the preservation of registration in the higher league the fight did not have to be fought. With 27 points the team took 8th place. The champion was "Khazar-Lenkaran", founded just two years before.

The first trophy in the "Garabagh" Maxim Medvedev won in 2009. They became the cup of Azerbaijan. The team entered the fight at the 1/8 finals stage, beating "Bakili" from Baku 3: 0 at home.

In 1/4 finals, "Garabagh" in a persistent meeting took home the home over "Neftchi" 1-0. A reliable game in the defense, demonstrated by the Azerbaijani football player Medvedev, has become one of the keys to success.

In the semi-finals FC "Baku" got to opponents, who was beaten on a visit in a game rich in goals to 4: 2. And here is the finale. In the decisive confrontation, the football club "Garabagh" met with the Baku "Inter". There were very few spectators - only 8 thousand. The only goal scored by the forward of "Karabakh" Vagif Javadov.

"Golden" season

In 2014, Maxim Medvedev in the "Garabagh" for the first time became the champion of Azerbaijan in football. For the team then there was a triumphant season. All of their main competitors Agdam beat and at home, and away. And given that each team played 4 matches against each other.

As a result, in 36 matches, the football club "Garabagh" lost only 6 times, scored 72 points and became the champion. The closest pursuer Baku "Inter" fell behind by 5 points. Medvedev first debuted in the Champions League.

In the main European Cup tournament the team started from the second qualifying round, having twice defeated Valletta from Malta. 1: 0 away and 4: 0 at home.

At the next stage, the Austrian "Salzburg" went to the rivals. At home Azerbaijanis sensationally won 2: 1, but could not keep positive result on a visit. The defeat was 0: 2, and on this their European Cup battles were over, as was Medvedev's.

After this success, "Garabagh" won the next two championships of Azerbaijan. In the Champions League, always leaving in the third qualifying round. The team was closest to success in the last draw, when Czech lost to "Victoria" only because of a goal scored on someone else's field.

To date, Medvedev held for "Garabagh" 223 matches, scoring in which 5 goals. This club remains the only one in his career.

In the national team

In the Azerbaijani team, Medvedev made his debut in 2009. The team performed in the same group as the Russians. However, she did not show an outstanding game. In 10 matches it was possible to win all time - on a visit at Liechtenstein 2: 0. In the active themselves, Azerbaijanis can only enter the draw of the Russian team in the final round (1: 1). Medvedev went on the field in the starting lineup was replaced at the 73 minute, when the scoreboard was already the final result. This qualifying cycle was the first serious test for our hero.

More successful for Azerbaijan was the next qualifying campaign for the World Cup. Medvedev team lost only 3 games out of 10, however, the victories of their fans, too, was not happy. I managed to score 3 points just once. As a result, with six draws, Azerbaijanians were remembered as one of the most uncompromising rivals. Having gained 9 points the team took the 4th place in the group.

In total, as part of the national team, Medvedev at the moment held 33 matches.