FK Qarabag vs Chelsea Predictions

• Qarabag are yet to draw a blank in Europe this season in nine games including qualifiers.
• Chelsea have won six of their last seven across all competitions.
• Chelsea have conceded in six of their eight away games this season.

Qarabag assignment for Chelsea

Chelsea have six points on the board after three rounds of Champions League fixtures ahead of Wednesday’s trip to surprise package Qarabag, who also have six points to show for their efforts so far.

Understandably the Premier League side are the heavy favourites but given Qarabag’s results in this competition, they’ve beaten Copenhagen and won at Benfica, backing Chelsea to win at a short price doesn’t hold much appeal.

Instead, the best angle for our main bet looks to be backing both teams to score – as Qarabag have an impressive scoring record in Europe and clean sheets have been an issue for Chelsea on the road.

Both teams can strike in Baku

Qarabag scored in defeat at Athletic Bilbao in the last round of league phase games and they’ve hit six goals across their three games in the main draw of this competition so far. The Azerbaijan outfit also scored in all six of their qualifying fixtures before securing their place in the league phase. Qarabag also scored in three of their four home games in the Europa League league phase last season, so they should be able to find a way through a Chelsea defence that has kept just two clean sheets in eight away games across all competitions.

Qarabag have been keeping shut outs domestically but it is hard to see them keeping Enzo Maresca’s visitors quiet. Chelsea have scored in 14 consecutive games across all competitions and are yet to draw a blank on their travels this term, and they scored in all of their Conference League trips last season against opponents who are probably of a similar level to Qarabag.

Chelsea class should tell

A 3-1 win for the visitors is the correct score prediction as Chelsea’s superior quality should see them win fairly comfortably even if they do concede. The Stamford Bridge side brushed Ajax aside 5-1 in London in the last round of European games and are capable of scoring heavily, having claimed a 4-3 win over Wolves and a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest recently.

Summer recruit Estavao stands out as a potential anytime scorer after his goal against Ajax in the last batch of games. That display was perhaps the youngster’s best for Chelsea since he arrived from Palmeiras and he should come into the starting side again on Wednesday after being used sparingly in the Premier League. Estevao has been making the most of his chances when they do come along with five goals in his last eight games for club and country, despite starting just three of those fixtures, and if he is involved from the off in Baku he can make an impact with a goal.