Enzo Maresca Delivers Shocking Justification for Chelsea's Historic Catastrophe

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca seemed to attribute part of the responsibility for his side's inability to defeat Qarabağ in the Champions League to lingering effects from this summer's Club World Cup.

The Blues undertook the extended midweek journey to European football's easternmost frontier, competing in Azerbaijan's capital city Baku on Wednesday evening.

Chelsea were anticipated to secure a comfortable victory, but Qarabağ delivered an unexpected result by earning a draw—the home side held a 2–1 advantage at the interval and Maresca's squad required a second-half leveler from substitute Alejandro Garnacho to restore parity at 2–2 and prevent a humiliating loss.

This marks the first occasion in eight encounters with English sides that Qarabağ have avoided defeat. A fixture against Liverpool on Jan. 28 in the concluding league phase match will represent their ninth such meeting.

Qarabağ's Record vs. English Clubs

Azerbaijani outfit Qarabağ extended their remarkable Champions League run by securing a 2–2 stalemate with Chelsea in Baku.

They currently sit 13th in the standings, positioned above European giants including Atlético Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax. pic.twitter.com/EEQr6dGnIl

Played: 8, Won: 0, Draw: 1, Loss: 7

Maresca: Chelsea Rotation the Result of Club World Cup

Maresca has consistently rotated his squad for cup matches this season, expressing his intention to maintain player freshness for battles across multiple competitions.

Regular midfield duo Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández started the Qarabağ match on the substitutes' bench, though Caicedo was introduced after merely eight minutes to replace the injured Roméo Lavia. Malo Gusto was also given a rest from the starting lineup, while no risks were taken with Wesley Fofana.

"The plan was to give Enzo a break, to rest Moisés, to rest Malo, to rest additional players, because they cannot compete every three days. They require recovery from the previous season," Maresca explained afterward while justifying his squad choices.

He continued: "The Club World Cup impacts [us] significantly. We attempt to rotate. When you achieve victory, nobody discusses all that. When we fail to win, everyone focuses on that, and now I believe it's crucial to regain energy for Saturday [against Wolves in the Premier League] and continue forward."

Chelsea's Club World Cup journey commenced on June 16, fewer than three weeks following the triumphant Conference League final at the conclusion of May. They progressed through the entire summer tournament, overcoming Paris Saint-Germain in the final on July 13, just one month and four days before the 2025–26 Premier League campaign began for them. Recovery time was minimal.