Enzo Maresca gamble backfires as Chelsea hit by new injury blow in Qarabag draw

QARABAG 2-2 CHELSEA: Alejandro Garnacho notched a second half goal to spare the Blues blushes on a chastening Champions League night for Enzo Maresca and Co in Baku

Enzo Maresca’s decision to make seven changes did not pay off as Chelsea were held to a thrilling draw with Qarabag in Azerbaijan. The Italian – as he has done for all of the Blues’ Champions League fixtures thus far this season – made wholesale changes to the XI that beat Tottenham on Saturday.

Despite taking an early lead, the Blues were seemingly stunned by Qarabag and their – at times – superb attacking play, with some lapse defending ensuring this was an awkward encounter for Maresca and his players. Estevao Willian scored his fourth goal of the season to put Chelsea ahead on 16 minutes. Qarabag, though, levelled the match later in the first-half when Leandro Andrade beat Robert Sanchez. Marko Jankovic then scored from the penalty spot on 39 minutes to put the home side ahead.

Alejandro Garnacho, who came on at the half-time break, made an immediate impact by firing Chelsea level not long into the second-half with a fine finish from a tight angle.

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Maresca made seven changes to the Blues side that beat Tottenham at the weekend, with Liam Delap also returning to the bench following his suspension.

There was huge concern for Chelsea just five minutes in when Romeo Lavia, who has been plagued by injuries since joining the club in 2023, limped off with another problem. Moises Caicedo, who Maresca would have ideally liked on the bench for at least the majority of the match, was brought on to replace Lavia.

Not long after, the visitors had the lead in Baku. A goal made in Brazil; with Joao Pedro playing the ball around the corner to Santos, who laid it off to Estevao to finish. It was the 18-year-old’s fourth goal of the season in all competitions – striking in each of his last three starts – placing him as Chelsea’s joint-top scorer alongside Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.

Chelsea were then undone by a long ball with Jorrel Hato, who started alongside Tosin Adarabioyo in the Blues’ ninth different centre-back partnership of the season, losing a physical battle to Camilo Duran, whose shot rebounded off the post for Andrade to equalise.

Hato, moments later, gave away possession in a dangerous position before he was penalised for a handball after the cross came into the box. Jankovic then sent Sanchez the wrong way from 12 yards to give the Azerbaijani side an unlikely lead at half-time.

Maresca made a triple change at half-time – with Enzo Fernandez, Delap and Garnacho all coming on – and it immediately paid off. Garnacho was fed by Delap before the Argentine struck into the bottom corner from a tight angle.

Chelsea, who moved onto six points in the Champions League league phase, pushed for a winner in Baku but were forced to settle with a point as Qarabag frustrated the Blues on the night.

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