With wins over Benfica and Ajax, Chelsea have steadied their Champions League campaign after losing to Bayern Munich in the opener. There is very little scope to slip up though, especially if they want to finish in the top 8 in the first round. So, the Blues must focus on getting as many points as possible and not slip up moving forward, especially with some tough matchups on the horizon.
Their game against Qarabag is a winnable one on paper. But the Azerbaijani side might prove to be a lot tougher test than most are anticipating.
They have the same number of points as Chelsea after the first three Champions League matchdays. Their wins have come against Benfica and Copenhagen while losing to Athletic Bilbao away from home.
So, Chelsea cannot make the mistake of taking Qarabag lightly just because they do not have a big name in European football. And when Enzo Maresca's side take on the Azerbaijani side, they will be without another one of their key players.
Chelsea confirm key player will miss Champions League game vs Qarabag
Last night, we reported how Pedro Neto had missed training leading up to the match against Qarabag and his availability was a doubt as a result. Well, there are no doubts anymore. It has been confirmed that he won't be playing on the night, although the positive is that it does not look like a long-term issue.
As reported by The Standard, Maresca said about the status of Neto for the game against Qarabag:
"[It’s] not a problem, just a small issue. We will try to protect him. He is not involved in tomorrow's game."
Chelsea do have Estevao in their ranks and it is very probable that the Brazilian was always going to start against Qarabag, as Neto did so against Tottenham at the weekend. Maresca has constantly rotated his team over the course of the season and it is starting to bear fruit, with the Blues winning six of their last seven games, although the performances have still left much to be desired.