Chelsea draw 2-2 Qarabag, Maresca pays the price for youth
Estevao Willian opened the scoring but two mistakes from Jorrel Hato saw Chelsea fall behind; Romeo Lavia was taken off after eight minutes through injury before Garnacho equalised at 2-2 in Baku.
Chelsea left Baku with just a point after a 2-2 draw with Qarabag in the Champions League qualifying round. Estevao Willian opened the scoring with a fine finish, but two errors from Jorrel Hato let the Blues fall behind before Alejandro Garnacho equalised in the second half. Behind the result was a clear lesson in the risks of a shaky defence and the depth of midfield depleted by Romeo Lavia’s injury.
Jorrel Hato's two mistakes set the tone of the match
19-year-old centre-back Jorrel Hato, a £37m signing from Ajax, was directly at fault for both goals. In the first, Hato was dispossessed by Camilo Duran, allowing Leandro Andrade to score. Shortly afterwards, he lost possession near the box and was penalised for handball, leading to the second goal. However, coach Enzo Maresca did not withdraw Hato in the second half, avoiding damaging the youngster’s confidence.
The Hato-Tosin Adarabioyo centre-back pairing did not provide the necessary sense of security, and that was the price of placing so much trust in an inexperienced defensive structure. Garnacho secured a point with an equaliser, but the feeling of uncertainty in the defence reflected the period of maturity that Chelsea had to go through.
Average 23+ year old squad: energy and risk
Chelsea fielded an average age of just over 23 – the second youngest English squad in the Champions League. Youth brings pace, intensity and desire, but also individual errors and moments of lack of composure. In Baku, those errors proved pivotal.
Romeo Lavia left the field after 8 minutes: gap in the middle axis
Just eight minutes into the game, Romeo Lavia was forced off with a muscle injury – Chelsea’s earliest Champions League exit. Since joining for £53m from Southampton in 2023, Lavia has made just 30 appearances, against 130 games. His continued absence has left the midfield unsettled and is a huge disappointment, despite his high-profile abilities.
Attacking highlights: Estevao leads the way, Garnacho keeps 1 point
At 18, Estevao Willian – who is valued at over £100m – continued to show confidence and skill in opening the scoring, thereby cementing his position as the team's top scorer this season. With the game falling apart due to defensive errors, the presence of Garnacho with an equaliser saved Chelsea from going empty-handed. However, the 2-2 scoreline was still below expectations given the Blues had travelled 5,000 miles for this away trip.
Referee and match control
Chelsea had reason to be unhappy with the refereeing of Sebastian Gishamer, who was criticised for allowing Qarabag to waste time. But that cannot be an excuse for dropping the win; individual mistakes and tactical maturity were the key.
Implications for the next leg: a warning before Barcelona
The result in Baku was a regrettable misstep, and a warning to Maresca about the thin line between development and risk when rejuvenating. With the potential and quality of the squad, Chelsea need more focus and courage at decisive moments. Before hosting Barcelona later this month, the biggest lesson is still: to go far in the Champions League, experience is sometimes as important as talent.
