Chelsea travel to the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium to face Qarabag FK on Wednesday, aiming for a third consecutive victory in this season’s Champions League to boost their prospects of finishing in the top eight.
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Enzo Maresca’s team have recovered from their defeat on matchday one at Bayern Munich to secure home wins over Benfica and Ajax, making them primed for another victory against an opponent that have had no success in seven previous encounters with English clubs
Match preview
Long-serving Qarabag boss Gurban Gurbanov has already masterminded two victories in this season’s Champions League but must lead the Horsemen to possibly their most daunting challenge against an English club.
The Blues and Whites have suffered seven consecutive losses to clubs from England in European games, failing to score in the last six, including two previous meetings with their West London visitors.
Those fixtures were eight years ago, in the Champions League group stage of the 2017-18 season, when the Azerbaijani club fell 6-0 and 4-0, highlighting the chasm in class and quality.
Aiming to end their drought against Chelsea on Wednesday, Gurbanov’s team can take encouragement from wins over Benfica and Copenhagen in the first two rounds to boost their hopes.
While they were beaten by Athletic Club in Bilbao last time out, finding the back of the net in all three gameweeks — a 3-2 win over Benfica, a 2-0 triumph against Copenhagen and a 3-1 loss to Athletic Club — gives the Horsemen hope of scoring against the Blues, if nothing else suggests a win is possible.
Nevertheless, Chelsea will not take their midweek visit to the Azerbaijan top-flight champions lightly as they strive to secure their first away win on the continent after consecutive victories in West London.
A chastening experience at the Allianz Arena on matchday one was followed by a dull 1-0 win over the returning Jose Mourinho with Benfica and a 5-1 beatdown of Ajax last time out, aided by Kenneth Taylor’s early red card.
Fresh from a straightforward 1-0 league victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, Maresca’s team are clear favourites to secure a third consecutive win and potentially move into the competition’s coveted top eight.
Currently outside those spots due to an inferior goal difference, their higher quality on paper should encourage supporters ahead of a long trip to Baku, where previous visits have brought success, not least a dominant 4-1 victory over Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League final.
With the chance to climb as high as sixth, or even higher if the group of five clubs on nine points — Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern, Inter Milan, Arsenal and Real Madrid — drop points (PSG face Bayern), the West London giants are determined to capitalise on their superior quality and secure maximum points for the third continental game in a row.
Ramil Sheydayev is not in Qarabag’s Champions League squad and will not take part on Wednesday.
Joni Montiel returned to action with a cameo appearance at the weekend after last competing a year ago, but the attacking midfielder will miss the midweek match due to his eligibility status.
Fresh from scoring and assisting for the Azerbaijani champions against Imisli at the weekend, Abdellah Zoubir aims to be influential on the left flank for the hosts.
Leandro Andrade, though, tops their scoring charts after three games, and the attacking midfielder looks to add to his goals against Benfica and Athletic Club.
Chelsea remain without the injured Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile and Dario Essugo, while Mykhaylo Mudryk is still provisionally suspended for breaching anti-doping regulations.
Having served a suspension for his red card against Benfica, Joao Pedro, the match-winner against Spurs at the weekend, should return to the XI after missing matchday three’s victory over Ajax.
Liam Delap might make his Champions League debut for the Blues after recently recovering from a thigh injury, though his league suspension at Spurs after a reckless sending-off in the EFL Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers suggests the Englishman has yet to fully build his fitness for his first continental start.
Having come off the bench against Thomas Frank’s team, Estevao could be reinstated into Maresca’s side for his second European start.
However, Maresca might be tempted to give Moises Caicedo a rare rest in midfield, opting to improve Romeo Lavia’s fitness against European opponents.
Qarabag FK possible starting lineup:
Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazada, Medina, Cafarquliyev; Bicalho, Borges; Duran, Andrade, Zoubir; Akhundzade
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gusto, Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Lavia, Fernandez; Estevao, Pedro, Gittens; Guiu
