2015–16 Azerbaijan Premier League
# 2015–16 Azerbaijan Premier League

The 2015–16 Azerbaijan Premier League was the 24th season of Azerbaijan Premier League, the Azerbaijani professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. Qarabağ were the defending champions, having won the 2014–15 Azerbaijan season.

## Teams

Zira FK entered the Premier League one year after their formation, and Kapaz PFK returned to the top level after two years of absence. Zira and Kapaz became fifth and ninth, respectively, in the 2014–15 First Division. They replaced Araz-Naxçıvan PFK, which withdrew from the league in November 2014, and Baku FC, which was relegated at the end of the previous season.

On 21 June 2015 the Professional Football League of Azerbaijan announced that Simurq PIK had refused to play in the 2015–16 Premier League due to ongoing financial problems. They were replaced by Ravan Baku FK, which became third in the 2014–15 First Division after they were relegated from the Premier League one season earlier.

### Stadia and locations

    Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity |
| - | - | - | - |
| AZAL | Baku | AZAL Stadium | 5,000 |
| Gabala | Gabala | Gabala City Stadium | 3,500 |
| Inter Baku | Baku | Inter Arena | 8,500 |
| Khazar Lankaran | Lankaran | Lankaran City Stadium | 15,000 |
| Neftchi Baku | Baku | Bakcell Arena | 11,000 |
| Qarabağ | Ağdam | Karabakh Stadium | 5,800 |
| Ravan | Baku | Bayil Stadium | 3,000 |
| Sumgayit | Sumqayit | Kapital Bank Arena | 1,500 |
| Zira | Baku | Zira Olympic Sport Complex Stadium | 1,500 |
| Kapaz | Ganja | Ganja City Stadium | 27,000 |

### Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| Team | Manager | Team captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| AZAL | Tarlan Ahmadov | Seymur Asadov | Umbro | Silk Way |
| Gabala | Roman Hryhorchuk | Javid Huseynov | Joma | QafqaZ Hotels |
| Inter Baku | Zaur Svanadze | Giorgi Lomaia | Joma | IBA |
| Khazar Lankaran | Elbrus Mammadov | Tural Jalilov | Puma | Palmali |
| Neftçi Baku | Vali Gasimov | Araz Abdullayev | adidas | SOCAR |
| Qarabağ | Gurban Gurbanov | Rashad Sadygov | adidas | Azersun |
| Ravan | Bahman Hasanov | Ramazan Abbasov | Umbro | Nissan |
| Sumgayit | Samir Abbasov | Vurğun Hüseynov | Umbro | Azerkimya |
| Zira | Adil Shukurov | Rashad Abdullayev | Kappa | Santral |
| Kapaz | Shahin Diniyev | Tural Akhundov | adidas | Gəncə 4000 |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sumgayit | Agil Mammadov | Resigned | 8 October 2015 | 8th | Samir Abbasov | 8 October 2015 |
| Ravan Baku | Emin Quliyev | Resigned | 17 October 2015 | 10th | Bahman Hasanov | 17 October 2015 |
| Neftchi Baku | Samir Aliyev | Resigned | 15 November 2015 | 6th | Asgar Abdullayev | 15 November 2015 |
| Khazar Lankaran | Yunis Hüseynov | Resigned | 13 January 2016 | 9th | Elbrus Mammadov | 18 January 2016 |
| Neftchi Baku | Asgar Abdullayev | Resigned | 5 March 2016 | 7th | Vali Gasimov (caretaker) | 6 March 2016 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Qarabağ (C) | 36 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 66 | 21 | +45 | 84 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Zira | 36 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 42 | 31 | +11 | 62 | |
| 3 | Gabala | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 44 | 28 | +16 | 59 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Inter Baku | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 39 | 28 | +11 | 59 | |
| 5 | Kapaz | 36 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 48 | 40 | +8 | 56 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 6 | Neftçi Baku | 36 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 49 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 7 | AZAL | 36 | 13 | 7 | 16 | 26 | 38 | −12 | 46 | |
| 8 | Sumgayit | 36 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 41 | 49 | −8 | 39 | |
| 9 | Ravan Baku | 36 | 5 | 9 | 22 | 27 | 63 | −36 | 18 | |
| 10 | Khazar Lankaran (R) | 36 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 16 | 51 | −35 | 15 | Relegation to the Azerbaijan First Division |

* ↑ Qarabağ qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015–16 Azerbaijan Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.
* ↑ Zira would have qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round, but failed to obtain a UEFA licence as the club has existed professionally for less than three season.
* 1 2 Gabala ahead of Inter Baku on head-to-head record: Inter Baku–Gabala 2–1, Gabala–Inter Baku 1–1, Inter Baku–Gabala 0–1, Gabala–Inter Baku 0–0.
* ↑ On 31 March 2016, the Adjudicatory Chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) announced that Inter Baku will be excluded from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which they would otherwise qualify in the next three seasons (i.e. the 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons).

## Season statistics

### Scoring

* First goal of the season: Victor Igbekoi for Zira against AZAL (9 August 2015)
* Fastest goal of the season: 1st minute,
   * Dodô for Gabala against Khazar Lankaran (4 October 2015)
* Latest goal of the season: 95th minute,
   * Facundo Pereyra for Gabala against Ravan Baku (30 November 2015)
   * Tural Akhundov for Kapaz against Sumgayit (7 December 2015)
* Largest winning margin: 6 goals
   * Gabala 6-0 Khazar Lankaran (4 October 2015)
* Highest scoring game: 6 goals
   * Gabala 6-0 Khazar Lankaran (4 October 2015)
   * Sumgayit 3-3 Ravan (19 December 2015)
   * Qarabağ 5-1 Ravan (30 March 2016)
* Most goals scored in a match by a single team: 6 goals
   * Gabala 6-0 Khazar Lankaran (4 October 2015)

### Top scorers

    As of match played 20 May 2016

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Dani Quintana | Qarabağ | 15 |
| 2 | Nelson Bonilla | Zirə | 14 |
| 3 | Ruslan Qurbanov | Neftçi | 13 |
| 4 | Amil Yunanov | Sumqayıt | 12 |
| 5 | Oleksiy Gai | Qəbələ | 10 |
| 6 | Richard | Qarabağ | 9 |
| 6 | Julien Ebah | Kəpəz | 9 |
| 8 | Samuel Armenteros | Qarabağ | 7 |
| 8 | Ermin Zec | Qəbələ | 7 |
| 8 | Oleksiy Antonov | Qəbələ | 7 |
| 8 | Nugzar Kvirtia | AZAL | 7 |
| 8 | Mahir Madatov | Qarabağ | 7 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date | REF. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Nelson Bonilla | Zirə | Ravan Baku | 4-0 | 10 April 2016 | |

### Discipline

**Player**

* Most yellow cards: 10
   * Ailton - Neftchi Baku
   * Éric Ramos - Neftchi Baku
   * Emin Mehdiyev - Sumgayit
* Most red cards: 2
   * Adrian Scarlatache - Khazar Lankaran
   * Elshan Rzazadä - Khazar Lankaran
   * Jairo - Neftchi Baku
   * Ailton - Neftchi Baku
   * Emin Mehdiyev - Sumgayit

**Club**

* Most yellow cards: 81
   * Neftchi Baku
* Most red cards: 7
   * Neftchi Baku
