Qarabag boss calls out Chelsea stars after shock Champions League draw — says Blues are inattentive and ‘didn’t expect a fight’
Gurban Gurbanov, the manager of Qarabag, chastised Chelsea’s players for being “inattentive” during their 2-2 Champions League match on Wednesday.
As the visiting Blues struggled to earn only one point on their trip to Azerbaijan, what was supposed to be a simple evening for the Premier League heavyweights swiftly degenerated into turmoil.
Chelsea appeared to be the dominant team in the Champions League during the first twenty minutes.
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Estevao put his team ahead with a smooth finish after just 16 minutes, demonstrating why he is being considered Stamford Bridge’s future.
However, Qarabag sensed blood when the Blues’ zeal waned and complacency seeped in.
Camilo Duran broke through Chelsea’s weak midfield in the 29th minute and attempted a long-range shot, but it bounced against the post.
Leandro Andrade, however, was fortunate enough to score after the rebound. Jorrel Hato gave up a penalty six minutes prior to halftime, and Marko Jankovic scored to put the home team ahead.
Maresca had seen enough by the break. The Italian made three substitutions and rang the changes.
Alejandro Garnacho was one of those introduced, and the Argentine made an immediate impression. Garnacho took matters into his own hands only twelve minutes into the second half.
He drove into the box and unleashed a tremendous left-footed strike that arrowed into the bottom corner, tying the score at two.
However, Chelsea once more descended into carelessness rather than building on the equaliser.
The game devolved into a chaotic end-to-end struggle that had nothing to do with the polished, well-organised football Maresca advocates.
Gurbanov, the manager of Qarabag, couldn’t contain his pride in his own player after the game.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate our supporters,” he started. Given that Victory Day is a public holiday in a few days, it was an amazing day.
My players are fighters and have struggled. Up to the very last moments, my squad persevered against the world champs.
My team showed Azerbaijani character and showed no fear. Against an English squad, they scored their first point.
Naturally, this outcome raises our profile and confidence. This is the reason our fans adore football. Perhaps the Chelsea players were distracted and didn’t anticipate our attack.”
With an average age of just 23 years and 97 days, Chelsea’s starting lineup was the second youngest that an English team had ever fielded in an away Champions League game.
They nearly lost the contest due to their lack of experience. During the post-match press conference, Maresca made an effort to maintain composure, but his frustration was evident.
“The big difference today for me was inside the box,” he stated. “I think the goals we gave up are ridiculous.
We haven’t been clinical enough in their box for how many times we’ve been there. For me, this makes a significant difference..
“They are a good team, I said already a few days ago, they are a good team, they are doing well,” Maresca added, praising Qarabag as well. And it’s challenging, particularly at home.”
With seven points from four games, the Blues are tied with Qarabag and could be forced into a knockout play-off rather than automatically go to the Champions League round of sixteen.
As of right now, they are ranked 12th, and the top eight teams are guaranteed a spot in the round of 16. There will soon be more difficult exams.
Later this month, Barcelona will travel to Stamford Bridge, and away games against Atalanta and Napoli are looming.
A Wake-Up Call, Not a Crisis for Chelsea
If anything, this result should act as a wake-up call rather than a something to panic about.
Maresca’s rotation was meant to keep bodies fresh, but tonight it exposed how thin Chelsea still are when the youngsters are left to shoulder the burden on their own.
The real test isn’t that they dropped points in Baku, it’s how they respond over the next fortnight.
Tightening up inside the box, demanding more concentration from the midfield and giving the young defenders structured support will be non-negotiable. Get those basics right and the raw talent on show can still carry them through the group.
