Puchacz swaps shirts with Rashford after United debut

Tymoteusz Puchacz’s first appearance in the Champions League ended in defeat, but it was still a night the Poland international is unlikely to forget. The Sabah Baku left-back played the full 90 minutes against Manchester United at Old Trafford and later revealed that he came away with Marcus Rashford’s shirt.

A landmark night for Puchacz

For Puchacz, this was a significant personal milestone. The former Lech Poznań defender made his Champions League debut in one of the competition’s most high-profile settings, facing Manchester United away from home.

He was involved throughout and even stepped up for a free-kick in the 63rd minute, missing only narrowly. Sabah Baku were unable to find a goal, and the Azerbaijani champions were beaten 0:4, but the occasion still carried obvious weight for the Polish defender.

The source material makes clear how much reaching the competition meant to him. After Sabah secured qualification for the Champions League, Puchacz did not hide his emotions, with the tournament described as the fulfilment of a dream.

Meeting supporters after the final whistle

That sense of occasion appeared to continue after the match. Rather than disappearing quickly after the final whistle, Puchacz went out to meet supporters outside the stadium, signing autographs and posing for photographs.

In a brief exchange with a Manchester United fan, he spoke openly about the club and the players he had just faced. Puchacz said that Manchester United is the biggest club in the world and admitted that he supports them himself.

Asked who his favourite player was, he pointed to Bruno Fernandes after the match. Fernandes had made a major impact on the game and scored in the 42nd minute.

Rashford shirt becomes the souvenir

The same supporter then asked Puchacz whether he had managed to get Fernandes’ shirt. His answer was different, but no less notable: the shirt he received was Rashford’s.

That exchange gave Puchacz a tangible reminder of a night that combined the scale of the Champions League with the challenge of facing elite opposition. Even in a heavy defeat, there was still room for a personal moment that underlined the significance of the occasion for the Sabah defender.

• Puchacz played 90 minutes for Sabah Baku against Manchester United.
• He had a free-kick effort in the 63rd minute.
• Sabah lost 0:4 at Old Trafford.
• After the match, he revealed he received Marcus Rashford’s shirt.

More big tests ahead for Sabah

Puchacz’s Champions League story is only just beginning. Sabah are still set to face more major opponents in the league phase, including Borussia Dortmund, FC Barcelona, Napoli and Arsenal.

Their next Champions League fixture will be against Slavia Prague on 13 October. For Puchacz, the challenge now is to build on a debut that was demanding on the pitch but memorable in every other sense.