Alejandro Garnacho spared Chelsea from an embarrassing Champions League defeat as his second-half strike secured a 2–2 draw against Qarabag in Baku on Wednesday.
Enzo Maresca’s side looked set for a surprise setback at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium after surrendering an early lead. Estevão Willian had put the Blues ahead in the 16th minute, but Leandro Andrade equalised before Marko Jankovic converted a penalty to give the Azerbaijani side a 2–1 advantage at halftime.
Former Manchester United winger Garnacho came off the bench to level with a powerful finish shortly after the restart, ensuring Chelsea avoided defeat and extended their unbeaten run in Europe.
The result leaves both sides on seven points from four matches, keeping them firmly in contention for a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the round of 16.
Despite Chelsea’s heavy investment — over £1.5 billion on new players in the past three seasons — Maresca’s men struggled to assert control over a spirited Qarabag team whose total spending since 2020 stands at under £7 million. The draw also means Chelsea remain without a Champions League away victory since October 2022.
Qarabag, once mockingly dubbed “Carrier Bag” during their debut campaign eight years ago, have been one of this season’s surprise packages. After impressive wins over Benfica (3–2) and Copenhagen (2–0), they again proved resilient against more illustrious opposition.
Maresca, mindful of the four-hour time difference and a quick turnaround before Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Wolves, made seven changes from the weekend’s victory over Tottenham.
Estevão’s opener — his fourth goal of the season — showcased the 18-year-old’s composure as he swept home Andrey Santos’ pass from close range. The Brazilian became the third-youngest player in Champions League history to score in each of his first two starts, behind Ethan Nwaneri and Kylian Mbappé.
However, Chelsea’s defensive frailties were soon exposed. Camilo Duran dispossessed Jorrel Hato, leading to Andrade’s equaliser in the 29th minute, before Hato conceded a penalty for handball that Jankovic converted to put Qarabag ahead.
At halftime, Maresca introduced Garnacho, Enzo Fernández, and Liam Delap, a triple substitution that immediately shifted momentum. Delap set up Garnacho, whose fierce drive from the edge of the box beat Mateusz Kochalski to restore parity.
Chelsea pushed for a late winner as Fernández and Garnacho both tested Kochalski, but the Qarabag goalkeeper stood firm to preserve a valuable point for the hosts.
