Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League saw Chelsea take on Azerbaijanian side Qarabak FK. The Blues were welcomed by a rather tricky home side than one anticipated.
The Game
18 year-old Estevao put the World Champions ahead early on in the first half after a beautiful finish towards the near post. Instead of sitting back and preventing further embarrassment, the Horsemen resiliently hit their opponents back as they capitalised on yet another string of defensive errors from the Blues, putting their team 2-1 ahead before the first half.
Belgian midfielder, Romeo Lavia was forced off due to yet another injury adding to the already extensive list of injuries the visitors have.
First half goals from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic would’ve proved to be enough for what would’ve been the biggest upset of the 25/26 Champions League campaign so far, had it not been for Enzo Maresca’s desperate second-half substitutions as Liam Delap and Argentinian internationals, Enzo Fernandez and Alejandro Garnacho were brought on as the two-time winners searched for an equaliser.
Soon after, Chelsea finally found their ground as super-sub Alejandro Garnacho supplied a much needed equaliser for his team. But despite more close cut chances, Chelsea struggled both in the attacking and defensive third. A strong Qarabag side would go on to hold on to the 2-2 scoreline to result in a stalemate as the points were shared at the end of the final whistle.
Post match analysis
Chelsea’s chances of lifting silverware this season grow slimmer and slimmer with every string of favourable games they fail to capitalise on. Defensive errors cost the West Londoners another three points yet again as they seemed to underestimate the level of resilience their opponents would show in this match.
A lot of questions from fans have arrived regarding the heavy rotations the Italian head coach seems to make from game to game. The Blues’ squad that faced Qarabag today was the second youngest starting XI fielded by an English club in an away game in the top division of European football.
The standout performer for the blues was yet again the teenage sensation, Estevao as he became the first South American player, aged 18 or under, to score in back-to-back Champions League games in history.
Famously labelled as ‘The Boy From Brazil’, the former Palmieras winger has proven himself as a world-class winger with his silky flair and precise finishes whenever he steps on the pitch. Although still young, the Brazilian international hasn’t become a regular starter for the Blues as manager Enzo Maresca sees him still getting used to European football.
Enzo Maresca’s Thoughts
When asked about the rotation to his squad, Maresca replied, “We tried to rotate, when we win nobody mentions that, but when we lose, everyone is focused on that.” The head coach then stated that he demands more from his second-string of players that were played today.
The biggest difference for Enzo Maresca was his teams’ lack of clinicality in the opponent’s box, as he stated. That is something the Blues have struggled with since the start of the 25/26 campaign.
The League Phase Table
The two time winners currently sit on 7 points, level 5 other teams including their Azerbaijanian opponents from earlier. While the aim of the league phase is, either by hook or crook, to simply qualify for the latter stages and having dropped 2 points, this result could play a key role in Chelsea’s contention to qualify for the knockout stages.
24/25 winners, PSG, are the perfect example of how a team can finish in the play-offs spot and could still go on to win the entire competition after the implementation of the new rules replacing the earlier ‘Group Stage’ by the new ‘League Phase’.
What’s next?
Chelsea returns to West London ahead of the international break as the Champions League is set to return for Matchday 5 during the final week of November, where the World Champions welcome Barcelona at Stamford Bridge for what could prove to be a feisty affair between the two.
