Chelsea travel to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag FK on Wednesday. Chelsea face them in the UEFA Champions League. The Blues carry momentum. The hosts, meanwhile aim to cause an upset. Let’s have a look at the facts.
Recent form and stakes
Chelsea are coming off a 1-0 win in the Premier League. They have won their last two European away games. Though they opened with a defeat. Qarabag have enjoyed a solid start too. Though they’re yet to beat an English club. They haven’t beaten one in the seven attempts. For Chelsea, a third straight win would boost their chances. They possibly could finish in the top eight of the group.
Key team news
For Qarabag, important attacker Ramil Sheydayev is unavailable. For Chelsea, the injury list is long. Namely : Cole Palmer (groin), Levi Colwill (knee) and Benoit Badiashile (muscle). They are all sidelined with the mentioned injury. Additionally, Mykhaylo Mudryk is suspended. Manager Maresca may rest Moises Caicedo. He will probably start Romeo Lavia in midfield.
Likely line-ups
Qarabag FK (expected): Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazada, Medina, Cafarquliyev; Bicalho, Borges; Duran, Andrade, Zoubir; Akhundzade.
Chelsea (expected): Sanchez; Gusto, Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Lavia, Fernandez; Estevão, Pedro, Gittens; Guiu.
What to watch and prediction
Chelsea have superior quality and should dominate possession. Qarabag will try to defend compactly. They might hit on the break. The hosts have shown they can score in Europe. Despite this an away win for Chelsea seems likely. A calculated prediction on the match would be : Qarabag 1-3 Chelsea.
Author’s Insight
Chelsea head to Baku with clear expectations. They will pick up three points and further solidify their path in the Champions League. They have key player’s out either with injuries or suspensions. Their squad depth gives them the upper hand. Qarabag will fight hard. Unless Chelsea make serious errors, the visitors should control the game. The question is how cleanly they do it. With the chemistry improving under Maresca, this could be the night Chelsea show that “blip” after Bayern was just a wake-up call.
As featured on Chelseanews.com
