Chelsea were forced to settle for a frustrating 2–2 draw against Qarabag FK in their Champions League clash on Wednesday night, and manager Enzo Maresca has now opened up on why his side couldn’t walk away with all three points.
The Blues started brightly as Estevao Willian continued his impressive form, putting Chelsea ahead in the 16th minute. But the momentum quickly faded. Qarabag responded with two goals from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic, turning the game around before the break — even scoring one of those goals while playing with 10 men.
Chelsea resumed the second half with urgency, and Alejandro Garnacho eventually found the equalizer. However, Maresca admitted that the team fell short in crucial moments.
Speaking after the match, the Chelsea boss revealed:
“We started the right way, scored the goal, but then we conceded two, the first one when they had 10 players. We can avoid both goals. In their box, we need to be more clinical.”
Maresca emphasized that while Chelsea had the right game plan and a strong opening phase, the team failed to maintain control and were punished for losing focus.
For Maresca, it wasn’t just about the goals conceded but the lack of sharpness in front of goal — something he believes cost them maximum points.
As Chelsea prepare for their next Champions League fixture, the manager is expected to address the defensive lapses and reinforce the need for clinical finishing, especially in tight away games like this.
