UEFA Champions League (UCL) surprise package Qarabağ look to continue their fine start to the European season as they welcome two-time UCL winners Chelsea to Baku.
Match News and Current Form
Things couldn’t be going much better for Qarabağ, who are maintaining an Azerbaijan Premier League title push alongside also posting their best start to a UCL campaign (W2, L1). Losing their matchday three game against Athletic Club raises some doubts over how they’ll bounce back here, but returning to Baku should provide a boost despite the fact this game will be played at the neutral Tofiq Bahramov Stadium. Qarabağ enter this clash on the back of five consecutive clean sheets as hosts (W4, D1), including their 2-0 win over Copenhagen on this ground on matchday two which affords them the chance to secure back-to-back European ‘home’ wins for the first time in a major competition.
Chelsea couldn’t be on a much stronger run of form heading into this match after winning six of their last seven competitive matches (L1) following their 1-0 win at Tottenham over the weekend. Strong domestic form has translated to the UCL of late too, as Chelsea head into this clash having won 20 of their 23 games in international competitions under Enzo Maresca, scoring in every single game. Translating that winning form onto the road in this competition is now the ultimate goal for the Blues, who lost a third consecutive UCL road trip earlier this campaign when going down 3-1 against Bayern Munich, meaning one more defeat would be their first run of four travelling reversals in the competition since 2005.
Head-to-Head History
The only two previous meetings between the sides came in the 2017/18 UCL group stage when Qarabağ lost both games by a 10-0 aggregate scoreline, part of a seven-match losing run against English opposition.
Hot Stats and Streaks
Just two of Qarabağ’s last eight competitive matches saw both teams score.
Qarabağ have scored 2+ goals in four of their last five European home outings
Chelsea have scored six of their seven UCL goals this season before half-time.
None of Chelsea’s last 51 European fixtures ended goalless.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Qarabağ’s Leandro Andrade has scored all five of his goals in 2025/26 in European competitions, with every goal arriving before the hour mark. Estêvão scored his first UCL goal last time out in Chelsea’s 5-1 rout of Ajax, meaning the Brazilian prodigy could become the first South American player to score in consecutive UCL games whilst aged 18 or younger with another here.
Neither side appear to have any new injury concerns to contend with ahead of this clash.
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Betting Analysis
Given the woeful history of Qarabağ against English sides, backing a Chelsea win to nil could turn a tidy profit.
Author: Matthew Billon