Garnacho Saves Chelsea from Shock Qarabag Defeat in Champions League Draw

Qarabag 2-2 Chelsea: Garnacho’s Rescue Highlights Maresca’s Rotation Gamble

Chelsea narrowly avoided a damaging Champions League defeat against Qarabag, with substitute Alejandro Garnacho’s second-half strike salvaging a 2-2 draw. The result prevented the Blues from becoming the first English side to lose to the Azerbaijani champions and kept their European campaign on course, albeit unconvincingly.

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Qarabag’s Moment of Belief

For Qarabag, this was a night that reaffirmed their rising status in European football. Having lost all seven previous encounters with English sides, including a 10-0 aggregate defeat to Chelsea in their last Champions League campaign, they entered the match with quiet confidence. Their squad, valued at just £22 million, faced a Chelsea side worth £1.5 billion, yet the gulf in quality was far less evident on the pitch.

Estevao Willian, just 18, opened the scoring in the 16th minute after a neat combination with Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos. However, defensive lapses from the heavily rotated visitors soon shifted the balance. Jorrel Hato, one of several changes made by Enzo Maresca, struggled under pressure as Camilo Duran’s strength led to Leandro Andrade’s equaliser. Moments later, Marko Jankovic put Qarabag ahead from the penalty spot after Hato handled inside the area.

Garnacho’s Equaliser Masks Deeper Issues

Maresca’s substitutions at half-time – bringing on Garnacho, Enzo Fernandez, and Liam Delap – steadied Chelsea after a chaotic first half. Garnacho took full advantage of a defensive mistake from Kevin Medina, running onto Delap’s long ball to level the score seven minutes into the second period.

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From there, both sides chased a winner. Qarabag’s Nariman Akhundzade tested Robert Sanchez from distance, while Estevao and Fernandez went close for Chelsea. In stoppage time, Garnacho almost completed the turnaround, only to be denied by Mateusz Kochalski.

At the final whistle, Qarabag’s players celebrated a landmark point, their supporters capturing the scoreboard in disbelief.

Qarabag’s Remarkable Journey

Founded in 1951 and displaced from their home city of Agdam due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Qarabag have long played away from home. Even after a peace deal in August, their return remains uncertain, with their region still scarred by decades of conflict. Under Gurban Gurbanov’s 17-year leadership, the club has grown into a model of resilience and resourcefulness.

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This season alone they have beaten Benfica and Copenhagen and taken the lead against Athletic Club before defeat in Spain. Against Chelsea, their composure and intensity reflected a team that has outgrown its “minnow” tag.

Chelsea’s Rotation Conundrum

Chelsea’s relentless squad rotation continues to raise questions. Maresca made seven changes once again, the fifth consecutive match in which he has rotated his starting XI heavily. Across all competitions this season, the total now stands at 85 changes, the highest among Premier League clubs.

While such adjustments allow for opportunities among young players like Hato, Tyrique George and Jamie Gittens, the disjointed performance in Baku showed the cost of instability. Maresca defended his approach, saying it would “always be questioned whenever we don’t win,” yet Chelsea’s rhythm remains inconsistent.

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With matches still to come against Barcelona, Atalanta, Pafos and Napoli, Chelsea’s qualification prospects are intact, but the draw serves as a warning. Qarabag may have exposed vulnerabilities that rotation alone cannot excuse.

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