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 evening.
Enzo Maresca’s side arrive in Baku buoyed by a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, their fifth straight win over their London rivals. It was another confident display from a team that is beginning to find rhythm after a mixed start to the season.
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 impressive victories over Benfica and Copenhagen before losing 3-1 to Athletic Bilbao last time out.
The Azerbaijani champions have at least shown they can score freely, finding the net in every group fixture so far.
Still, the gap in quality between the sides remains significant. Chelsea’s midfield has found new balance under Maresca, while their defensive organisation has improved noticeably since that early setback in Munich.
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The trip to Baku is also a test of focus and professionalism. 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.
For Maresca, maintaining momentum is key as Chelsea continue to grow in confidence at home and abroad.
Against a spirited but limited Qarabag side, Chelsea will expect to show the same control and composure that earned them victory in north London.
The challenge now is to prove that their recent consistency can travel with them to Europe.