| Season | 2012–13 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Neftchi (8th title) |
| Relegated | Kəpəz,Turan |
| Champions League | Neftchi |
| Europa League | Qarabağ Khazar Inter Baku |
| Matches | 192 |
| Goals | 467 (2.43 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Nicolás Canales (26 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Neftchi 8–1Sumgayit |
| Biggest away win | Sumgayit 1–6Qarabağ |
| Highest scoring | Neftchi 8–1Sumgayit (9 goals) |
| Longest winning run | 5 games Neftchi,Qarabağ |
| Longest unbeaten run | 11 games Qarabağ |
| Longest losing run | 9 games Kəpəz |
| Highest attendance | 11,000 Khazar 2–3Inter (12 February 2013)[1] |
| Lowest attendance | 30 Turan 0–2Azal (20 October 2012)[2] |
| Average attendance | 5,462 |
2013–14 → | |
The2012–13 Azerbaijan Premier League was the twenty-first season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The season began on 4 August 2012 and finished on 20 May 2013.Neftchi Baku, the champions from the previousseason, defended their title.
A total of 12 teams contested the league, including all 12 sides from the2011–12 season, as no teams were promoted from the2011–12 Azerbaijan First Division.[3]
On 10 April 2012,FK Qaradağ sealed promotion to the league after winning the first division.[4] However, due to a decision byAFFA about licensing, no clubs were promoted which meant all clubs from the previous season remained in the league.[5][6]
| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity[7] |
|---|---|---|---|
| AZAL | Baku | AZAL Stadium | 3,000 |
| Baku | Baku | FC Baku's Training Base | 2,000 |
| Gabala | Gabala | Gabala City Stadium | 4,000 |
| Inter | Baku | Shafa Stadium | 8,000 |
| Kəpəz | Ganja | Ganja City Stadium | 25,000 |
| Khazar | Lankaran | Lankaran City Stadium | 15,000 |
| Neftchi | Baku | Bakcell Arena | 11,000 |
| Qarabağ | Baku | Tofig Bahramov Stadium | 31,200 |
| Ravan Baku | Baku | Bayil Stadium | 5,000 |
| Simurq | Zaqatala | Zaqatala City Stadium | 3,500 |
| Sumgayit | Sumqayit | Mehdi Huseynzade Stadium | 16,000 |
| Turan | Tovuz | Tovuz City Stadium | 6,800 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined underFIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Team captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZAL | Umbro | Silk Way | ||
| Baku | Macron | |||
| Gabala | Erreà | Hyundai | ||
| Inter Baku | Umbro | IBA | ||
| Kəpəz | Adidas | Nakhchivan Car Factory | ||
| Khazar | Puma | Palmali | ||
| Neftchi Baku | Adidas | SOCAR | ||
| Qarabağ | Adidas | Azersun | ||
| Ravan Baku | Legea | NBC Bank | ||
| Simurq | Umbro | |||
| Sumgayit | Umbro | Azerkimya | ||
| Turan | Umbro | Bank of Azerbaijan |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravan Baku | Sacked | 8 June 2012[8] | Pre-season | 12 July 2011[8] | ||
| Baku | 19 July 2012[9] | 19 July 2012[9] | ||||
| Kəpəz | Resigned | 19 August 2012[10] | 12th | 19 August 2012[10] | ||
| Ravan Baku | Sacked | 25 August 2012[11] | 8th | 25 August 2012 | ||
| Ravan Baku | End of tenure as caretaker | 24 September 2012[12] | 11th | 24 September 2012[12] | ||
| Gabala | Sacked | 24 September 2012[13] | 5th | 24 September 2012[14] | ||
| Turan | Resigned | 12 October 2012[15] | 10th | 12 October 2012[15] | ||
| Khazar | 31 October 2012[16] | 7th | 1 November 2012 | |||
| Khazar | End of tenure as caretaker | 14 November 2012 | 4th | 14 November 2012[17] | ||
| Ravan Baku | Sacked | 21 December 2012 | 11th | 21 December 2012 | ||
| Khazar | Resigned | 26 February 2013[18] | 7th | 8 March 2013[19] | ||
| Gabala | Sacked | 2 April 2013[20] | 6th | 2 April 2013 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neftçi Baku | 22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 47 | 24 | +23 | 44 | Qualification forchampionship group |
| 2 | Inter Baku | 22 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 24 | 12 | +12 | 41 | |
| 3 | Qarabağ | 22 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 30 | 19 | +11 | 39 | |
| 4 | Simurq | 22 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 25 | 15 | +10 | 36 | |
| 5 | Gabala | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 26 | 27 | −1 | 32 | |
| 6 | Baku | 22 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 24 | 15 | +9 | 30 | |
| 7 | AZAL | 22 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 32 | 25 | +7 | 29 | Qualification forrelegation group |
| 8 | Khazar Lankaran | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 32 | 27 | +5 | 28 | |
| 9 | Turan | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 35 | −11 | 23 | |
| 10 | Sumgayit | 22 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 39 | −19 | 22 | |
| 11 | Ravan Baku | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 23 | 36 | −13 | 22 | |
| 12 | Kapaz | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 12 | 45 | −33 | 10 |
| Home \ Away | AZL | BAK | KAP | INT | KHA | SIM | NEF | QAR | GAB | RAV | SUM | TUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZAL | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 6–2 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | |
| Baku | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | |
| Kapaz | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | |
| Inter Baku | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | |
| Khazar Lankaran | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | |
| Simurq | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | |
| Neftçi Baku | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| Qarabağ | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | |
| Gabala | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 0–1 | |
| Ravan Baku | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | |
| Sumgayit | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–6 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | |
| Turan | 1–0 | 0–4 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 |
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 one2013–14 Champions League and twoEuropa League spots.
The winners will qualify for the Champions LeagueSecond qualifying round, with the runners-up and third place team earning a spot in theEuropa League first qualifying round.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neftçi Baku(C) | 32 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 59 | 32 | +27 | 62 | Qualification forChampions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Qarabağ | 32 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 43 | 26 | +17 | 59 | Qualification forEuropa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Inter Baku | 32 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 38 | 22 | +16 | 57 | |
| 4 | Simurq | 32 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 48 | |
| 5 | Baku | 32 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 33 | 27 | +6 | 41 | |
| 6 | Gabala | 32 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 32 | 40 | −8 | 38 |
The bottom six teams of the first phase will determine the teams to be relegated to the 2013–14Azerbaijan First Division. The two teams who finish in 11th and 12th position will be relegated to the2013–14 Azerbaijan First Division.[21]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | AZAL | 32 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 57 | 32 | +25 | 57 | |
| 8 | Khazar Lankaran | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 40 | 37 | +3 | 40 | Qualification forEuropa League first qualifying round[a] |
| 9 | Ravan Baku | 32 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 46 | 53 | −7 | 40 | |
| 10 | Sumgayit | 32 | 9 | 8 | 15 | 31 | 49 | −18 | 35 | |
| 11 | Turan(R) | 32 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 34 | 59 | −25 | 30 | Relegation toAzerbaijan First Division |
| 12 | Kapaz(R) | 32 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 22 | 64 | −42 | 19 |
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neftchi Baku | 26 | |
| 2 | AZAL | 21 | |
| 3 | Ravan Baku | 14 | |
| 4 | Qarabağ | 13 | |
| 5 | Turan | 12 | |
| 6 | Sumgayit | 9 | |
| 7 | Kəpəz / Inter Baku | 8 | |
| Inter Baku | 8 | ||
| Neftchi Baku | 8 | ||
| 10 | AZAL | 7 | |
| 11 | Simurq | 6 | |
| Neftchi Baku | 6 | ||
| Baku | 6 | ||
| Ravan Baku | 6 | ||
| Khazar | 6 | ||
| Gabala | 6 |
Source:Azerbaijan Premier League
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZAL | Qarabağ | 6–2[22] | 16 September 2012 | |
| Neftchi Baku | Sumgayit | 8–1[23] | 17 November 2012 | |
| Turan | Kəpəz | 5–1[24] | 2 December 2012 | |
| Sumgayit | Turan | 4–0[25] | 11 March 2013 | |
| Ravan Baku | Turan | 6–2[26] | 30 March 2013 |