Chelsea must learn from history to beat Qarabag in Azerbaijan

Chelsea cannot take any chances in their game against Qarabag. Atletico Madrid and tales from history suggest the Azerbaijani side will be tougher than some expect.

Qarabag are a difficult opponent at home. The club have grown immensely since their first matchday against Chelsea. Roma were far from comfortable in their victory in Baku. Atletico Madrid failed to defeat the Azerbaijani club in their two matches. Antonio Conte’s substitutions on Saturday showed he is not underestimating them.

Although not well known in the West, Nader Shah was an influential figure in Iranian history. Known as the Napoleon of Persia, his prowess on the battlefield was unrivaled. In 1744, however, Haji Chalabi, an upstart prince in what is now Azerbaijan, rebelled against him.

Baffled and enraged, he sent a message to the rebels demanding to know who dared defy him. “Come, and you will see,” was the reply. Nader Shah sent his armies to Haji Chalabi’s fortress, but they were unable to take it. To this day, the walls of the fort are known as Gelersen-Gorersen, “Come, and you will see.”

Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Roma must have eyed their Qarabag fixtures as an easy source of points. After all, this was a club from the backwaters of (barely) European soccer and a team that has played in exile since 1993. The Horsemen are also the first Azerbaijani team to take part in the Champions League group stages. Teams visiting Baku must have thought, “Who are these minnows?”

Come, and you will see.

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Roma came and barely made it out of Baku’s Olympic Stadium with three points. Atletico Madrid came and could not breach Qarabag’s defense in a 0-0 draw even after the home side went down to 10 men. Playing in front of a raucous crowd of nearly 48,000 on Azerbaijan’s Independence Day, Diego Simeone admitted his side had trouble keeping a cool head.

Chelsea travel to Baku knowing that a win sees them through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League. On Saturday, Antonio Conte withdrew Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante to ensure they will be fresh for the midweek trip. He will not be taking any chances with his selection on Wednesday.

Needing a result against Atletico Madrid on the last matchday is a frightening proposition. It could turn into a slugfest at a crucial point in the season and there is no guarantee Chelsea would come out on top. A victory in Baku, however, ensures that the Blues’ last match of the group stage against Simeone’s men is a dead rubber. The Atleti match could provide an opportunity to rest key players ahead of the hectic holiday schedule.

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Like Nader Shah 273 years ago, Atletico Madrid underestimated its Azerbaijani opponents and paid the price. Conte and his charges must not repeat the same mistake.