Chelsea target third straight win against Qarabag in Baku

Chelsea will look to build on their recent derby success when they travel to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag FK in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Enzo Maresca’s side recorded a 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, their fifth straight win over their London rivals.

The Blues have responded well since their opening defeat to Bayern Munich in the league phase.

Back-to-back home wins over Benfica and Ajax have reignited their European campaign, and they now have the chance to make it three victories in a row.

Tomorrow’s match offers a golden opportunity to strengthen their bid for a top-eight finish.

Chelsea sit just outside those spots on goal difference and will fancy their chances against opponents who have never beaten an English club in Europe.

Qarabag have lost all seven previous meetings with English sides, failing to score in their last six. Their two encounters with Chelsea came during the 2017-18 season, when the Blues ran out 6-0 and 4-0 winners.

However, Gurban Gurbanov’s men are not to be dismissed entirely. They began this Champions League campaign with victories over Benfica and Copenhagen before losing 3-1 to Athletic Bilbao last time out.

The gap in quality between the sides is significant. Chelsea’s midfield has found new balance under Maresca, while their defensive organisation has improved noticeably since that early setback in Munich.

Qarabag’s Tofiq Bahramov Stadium can be an awkward venue for visiting sides, but Chelsea have experience of playing there, most notably when they thrashed Arsenal 4-1 in the 2019 Europa League final.

Victory on Wednesday could lift the Blues as high as sixth depending on other results, with several leading clubs tied on nine points.

Against a spirited but limited Qarabag side, Chelsea will expect to show the same control and composure that earned them victory over Tottenham.

The challenge now is to prove that their recent consistency can travel with them to Europe.