Chelsea rescued a 2-2 draw against Qarabag in Baku during the Champions League league phase, thanks to a second-half goal from substitute Alejandro Garnacho. The match highlighted Chelsea's squad rotation amid a Club World Cup hangover and an early injury to Romeo Lavia. Qarabag impressed with goals from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic, pushing Chelsea all the way.
Chelsea traveled 2,500 miles to the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, for their Champions League encounter with Qarabag on November 5, 2025. Enzo Maresca made seven changes to the lineup from the weekend win over Tottenham, aiming to rest key players like Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Malo Gusto due to the demanding schedule.
The game started promisingly for Chelsea, with young winger Estevao opening the scoring in the 16th minute after a swift counter-attack set up by Andrey Santos. Estevao lashed the ball home at the near post, showcasing his impressive form. However, Qarabag responded forcefully. In the 29th minute, Camilo Duran hit the post, and Leandro Andrade volleyed in the rebound, exploiting a weak challenge from Jorrel Hato.
Chelsea's defense faltered further when Hato conceded a penalty for handball in the 39th minute, which Marko Jankovic converted calmly to give Qarabag a 2-1 halftime lead. The first goal came despite Qarabag playing with 10 men temporarily. An early blow for Chelsea came in the eighth minute when midfielder Romeo Lavia suffered an apparent quad injury and was substituted by Caicedo—the earliest substitution in Chelsea's Champions League history.
Maresca introduced Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Fernandez at halftime, transforming the game. Garnacho equalized in the 53rd minute with a cool left-footed finish, becoming the first player to score in the Champions League for two Premier League clubs before age 21. Chelsea dominated the second half but couldn't find a winner, with chances for Delap and others going begging.
Post-match, Maresca attributed the performance to the summer Club World Cup, where Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final just five weeks before the Premier League season. "The Club World Cup affected a lot. We tried to rotate," he said. "Today, we started the right way, scored the goal but then we conceded two... We can avoid both goals. In their box, we need to be more clinical."
On Lavia, Maresca added, "It’s a shame for him. He’s not able to be fit for a long period... I think it’s his quad." The draw leaves Chelsea on eight points after four games, level with Qarabag but with a prior defeat, requiring strong results in their remaining fixtures to secure a top-eight finish and avoid playoffs. Chelsea face Wolves at Stamford Bridge next, less than 72 hours after returning from Baku.
