2021 winners Chelsea will be looking to make it three wins in a row both in the Champions League and all competitions when they take on Qarabag tonight.
Fresh off the most one-sided 1-0 victory over Tottenham in the Premier League at the weekend, the Blues make the long trip to Azerbaijan where they will be hoping to build on back-to-back victories over Benfica and Ajax in recent weeks.
They are huge favourites but Enzo Maresca will be reminding his side of the dangers posed by Qarabag, who have been one of the stories of the competition's early weeks. The minnows stunned Benfica in gameweek 1 before toppling Copenhagen and then causing Athletic Club an almighty scare last time out.
Will Chelsea avoid a major upset or will Qarabag pull one of the great European results? AllSportsPeople brings you this betting preview complete with the latest tips, predictions and odds.
Qarabag vs. Chelsea: Who Will Win?
This really should be a routine win for the Blues if they are professional and do the job Maresca asks of them. The conditions could be tricky, however, and Qarabag have shown they are not to be taken lightly, but back the Blues to make it three wins on the bounce in Europe.
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Head-to-Head: Qarabag vs. Chelsea
- The two clubs have met on two previous occasions, both of which came in the 2017/18 Champions League group stages.
- The Blues - then champions of England - hammered the Azerbaijani side 6-0 at home and 4-0 away.
Qarabag vs. Chelsea Form Guide
Qarabag — Last 5 Matches (All Competitions)
- Qarabag 2-0 Mil-Mugan (Azerbaijani Premier League)
- Qarabag 0-0 Shamakhi (Azerbaijani Premier League)
- Athletic Club 3-1 Qarabag (Champions League)
- Turan 1-2 Qarabag (Azerbaijani Premier League)
- Qarabag 1-0 Kapaz (Azerbaijani Premier League)
Chelsea — Last 5 Matches (All Competitions)
- Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
- Wolves 3-4 Chelsea (League Cup)
- Chelsea 1-2 Sunderland (Premier League)
- Chelsea 5-1 Ajax (Champions League)
- Nottingham Forest 0-3 Chelsea (Premier League)
Qarabag vs. Chelsea Score Prediction
Chelsea are likely to make several changes to the side that easily beat Spurs at the weekend but it will still be a side brimming with young attacking talent.
The likes of Estevao, Jamie Gittens and Marc Guiu will be looking to force their way into Maresca's first XI too and this is a good chance for them to stake a claim.
Expect a few goals from the Blues in a routine win.
Prediction: Qarabag 1-3 Chelsea (16.00 with Dafabet)
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Qarabag vs. Chelsea Team News
Qarabag Team News
- Qarabag continue to be without Ramil Sheydayev and Joni Montiel, who are not in their Champions League squad.
- Leandro Andrade is Qarabag's main goal threat, having scored three times already in this season's competition.
Chelsea Team News
- Joao Pedro - the matchwinner at Spurs - is back from a European suspension and should start here with Enzo Maresca shuffling his deck.
- Moises Caicedo and Reece James may be rested, while Estevao, Marc Guiu and Jamie Gittens could all start.
Qarabag vs. Chelsea: Predicted Lineups
This is how we think these two sides will line up tonight, with Moises Caicedo getting a rare rest and Romeo Lavia coming into midfield. Elsewhere, there could be starts for Jamie Gittens, Estevao and Marc Guiu, as well as several changes in defence.
Qarabag predicted lineup to play Chelsea
(4-2-3-1) Kochalski (GK) — Silva, Mustafazada, Medina, Cafarquliyev — Bicalho, Borges — Duran, Andrade, Zoubir — Akhundzade
Chelsea predicted lineup to play Qarabag
(4-2-3-1) Sanchez (GK) — Gusto, Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Cucurella — Lavia, Fernandez — Estevao, Pedro, Gittens; Guiu
Qarabag vs. Chelsea Betting Odds
- Chelsea to Win: 1.01 with Dafabet
- Qarabag to Win: 40.00
- Draw: 16.00
Betting Tips: Qarabag vs. Chelsea
- Best bet: Chelsea to win to nil (2.35 with Dafabet)
- Alternative bet: Estevao to score anytime (2.30 with Dafabet)
Chelsea head into Wednesday's Champions League clash as strong favourites to bag all three points, and rightly so, even with the challenges Qarabag bring to the table.
The long 5,000-mile round trip won't make things easy, but the Blues travel with renewed confidence after bouncing back from their home defeat to Sunderland. A League Cup win and a narrow derby victory over Tottenham have helped restore some momentum.
With two wins and a loss so far in the competition, Chelsea remain well in the mix for a top-eight finish, but nothing less than three points, ideally with a clean sheet, will do here.
One player to keep an eye on is summer signing Estevao. The young Brazilian impressed with a goal against Ajax last time out in Europe, arguably his best display since joining from Palmeiras. With five goals in his last eight appearances for club and country, despite limited starts, he's been making every opportunity count. If handed a starting spot in Baku, he could easily find himself on the scoresheet again.
How to watch Qarabag vs. Chelsea: Live stream, TV channel
Here's all the key information on how to watch Qarabag vs. Chelsea tonight.
- Date: Wednesday, November 5
- Venue: Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Time: 11:15 p.m. IST
- TV/Stream: Sony LIV app