Thanks ref… or not! Qarabag player tries to high-five English referee Anthony Taylor after he thought VAR was rescinding his yellow card – only for him to pull out a red card, sending him off moments later!

A Qarabag player was left red-faced on Thursday night after a bizarre but double-danger saw him sent off and left hanging within seconds of trying to high-five referee Anthony Taylor.

The Azerbaijani giants took on Bayer Leverkusen, the unbeaten surprise package of the season in Europe, hoping to secure what would be a historic place in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Qarabag had taken a surprise lead away at Leverkusen and looked set to challenge the German side’s proud unbeaten bid for 2023-24, only for Elvin Cafarguliyev to leave his side a man down in hilarious fashion.

Cafarguliyev was booked for a last-man challenge on Jeremie Frimpong just outside the box, but the decision was sent upstairs for a VAR review.

The review concluded and Referee Taylor took the card he had shown Cafarguliyev and signaled that it had been scrubbed off, sending the player into a celebratory mood as he reached out for a high five with the referee.

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But with almost impeccable comic timing, a straight-faced Taylor proceeded to produce a red card when the challenge had actually been upgraded to a sending-off offence, all the while staring Cafarguliyev straight in the eye.

A skin-crawlingly awkward clip of the exchange broadcast by TNT Sport made the rounds on social media, which also captures the player’s look of half-regret, half-disappointment as he gives his marching orders.

With Qarabag massive underdogs for the game, it will come as a surprise that they then scored again just three minutes after going a man down to 2-4 on aggregate and seemingly set a foot in the next round.

But not many teams have managed to keep Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen quiet for long this term, and the German side showed just why they are the talk of Europe this term.

Frimpong then scored a composed volley from inside the box at the back post in the 72nd minute to make it 4-3 on aggregate and give the unbeaten hosts a sniff.

But nothing came from the all-consuming Leverkusen after 90 minutes and the Azerbaijani outfit looked set for a truly remarkable result before Czech international Patrik Schick dashed their dreams.

The striker struck twice in added time; the finest touch on a whipped cross at the near post in the 93rd minute made it 4-4 and then with six minutes and 50 seconds of the six added on the clock he headed home at the back post to make it 5-4 on aggregate .

It was quite an astonishing comeback from a team that has won widespread plaudits but desperately crushed the visitors who were within an inch of one of their greatest nights in their history.

As such, Alonso has become one of the most recognized – and sought after – coaches on the continent.

A former Liverpool player, he is believed to be sized up to replace Jurgen Klopp when the German leaves Anfield this summer, while he was also on the books at Bayern Munich, who are looking for a manager of their own.

Then there is Real Madrid – another of his former clubs – who will be in the market for a long-term successor to Carlo Ancelotti when he decides to leave the Spanish capital.

That said, after stunning most of Europe with his work at Leverkusen – who are set to beat league winners Bayern to the German crown this term – he may decide to stay and reap the rewards of the project he really only just beginning.