FC Neftchi transfers Portuguese midfielder

FC Neftchi has transferred Portuguese midfielder Raphael Guzzo, Azernews reports. A two-year contract was signed with the midfielder. He will wear jersey No 6 in Neftchi.

Formed at Benfica, where he was only a reserve, Raphael Gregorio Guzzo played 70 Primeira Liga games and scored four goals for Tondela and Vizela. He also played briefly in Spain Segunda Division for Reuse and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A for Goias.

FC Neftchi was founded on 18 March 1937 and played under the name of Neftyanik until 1968. Since then, the club has been competing under the name of Neftchi.

The football club played for a total of 27 seasons in the Top Division of Soviet football. The main achievement of that period is the bronze medals of the USSR Championship won in 1966.

FC Neftchi has won nine Azerbaijan Premier League titles, six Azerbaijan Cups and two Azerbaijan Supercup titles. The club is one of the two teams in Azerbaijan, along with Qaraba?, which has participated in all Azerbaijan Premier League championships so far.

In 2012, FC Neftchi became the first Azerbaijani club to advance to the group stage of a European competition after defeating APOEL 4–2 on aggregate in the play-off round of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League.