Qarabag FK will welcome Chelsea to the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku on Wednesday in a crucial UEFA Champions League group stage match.
This fixture is essential for the London club, as a victory would push them further towards securing an automatic spot in the knockout rounds.
Qarabag, on the other hand, have started well in the competition, but they will need to get back to winning ways after their disappointing performance in their previous game.
Match Preview
Qarabag are one of the best teams this season in their domestic league in Azerbaijan and has also secured several important wins in Europe this season.
The Baku side is extremely difficult to defeat on their home soil due to the long travel distance for opponents and the hostile atmosphere created by their supporters.
They will be looking to make it two wins at home in this competition and get back to winning ways after their 3-1 loss against Athletic Bilbao.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have recently shown somewhat inconsistent form in the Premier League. However, they claimed a narrow 1-0 away victory over Tottenham last weekend.
They are currently brimming with confidence following their win against Tottenham at the weekend and their 5-1 thrashing of Ajax in their last European outing.
Manager Enzo Maresca will be pushing for his team to secure a spot in the top eight and they will need a win against Qarabag to put themselves in a pole position. However, the challenge for Chelsea will be managing potential player fatigue for this game.
Qarabag vs Chelsea Head-to-Head
The two clubs have only met twice before in a competitive game, during the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League group stage.
Chelsea secured convincing victories in both matches, with a 6-0 thrashing at Stamford Bridge and followed that with a dominant 4-0 demolition in the return fixture in Baku.
Despite this history of heavy Chelsea dominance, Qarabag are a much-improved team today and will be a difficult side to defeat in this game.
Qarabag vs Chelsea team news
Ahead of this clash, Gurban Gurbanov will likely be without Camilo Duran, who is doubtful due to a knock. Although he could feature in this game if he passes a late fitness test.
