Telegraph:
Chelsea 6 Qarabag 0: Davide Zappacosta marks full debut with goal as half-strength hosts run riot
Matt Law
Diego Costa may not be in Chelsea’s Champions League squad as he still tries to engineer a move back to Atletico Madrid, but the Stamford Bridge crowd do at least have a new Costa of sorts to chant the name of.
The transfer deadline day signing of Davide Zappacosta from Torino was most notable for the similarity between the right wing-back’s name and that of Chelsea’s AWOL striker.
Certainly, nobody was expecting Zappacosta to help make up for the loss of last season’s top scorer in terms of goals.
But Zappacosta marked his Chelsea and Champions League full debut with an accidental strike that had Stamford Bridge singing his name and helped the club thrash Qarabag on their return to European competition.
He may not have meant it, but Zappacosta will cherish his mishit Champions League cross that flew into the Qarabag net. The 25-year-old may also be surprised to learn that the goal puts him within one of Costa’s tally for Chelsea in the competition.
Sources in Spain claimed that Costa arrived in Madrid on Tuesday in an attempt to hasten a move to Atletico, but at least Zappacosta is already settling into life in West London.
He turned provider at the end to set up Maksim Medvedev’s own-goal, as Chelsea, who had five different scorers in Pedro, Zappacosta, Cesar Azpilicueta substitute Tiemoue Bakayoko and Michy Batshuayi, ran riot in the final 19 minutes.
Spare a thought for visiting captain Rashad Sadygov. Earlier in the day he had overseen a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea for the club’s Under-19 team in the UEFA Youth League in his other job as Qarabag’s youth coach.
Sadygov left that game early in order to prepare for the senior side’s first-ever appearance in the Champions League and suffered an even heavier loss than the club’s youngsters.
Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte made five changes to the team that won at Leicester City and gave Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard a rest ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Arsenal.
Pedro was one of the players asked to start his second game in four days and the Spaniard did not show any signs of fatigue, as he gave Chelsea a fifth-minute lead.
Conte had recalled Willian and it was the Brazilian who collected a short corner and teed up Pedro to curl the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty area.
Any notion that Conte was taking it easy against Qarabag was quickly dispelled as he celebrated Pedro’s opener in his usual enthusiastic and slightly manic style.
But he was soon remonstrating angrily at his assistants after Batshuayi, who Conte tried to replace with Fernando Llorente in the final days of the transfer window, was slow to react to Willian’s saved shot and eventually scuffed the ball into the side-netting.
It is only 16 years ago that Qarabag could not afford kit or travel costs for domestic games and their qualification for the Champions League was celebrated like a public holiday in Azerbaijan.
Qarabag manager Gurban Gurbanov would have been encouraged with how his team had reacted to going behind early, but they were left with a mountain to climb once Zappacosta marked his Stamford Bridge bow with a stunning, if highly fortunate, goal on the half-an-hour mark.
The right wing-back, who was preferred to Victor Moses, advanced down the flank before sending the ball over Qarabag goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic and into the net.
Zappacosta admitted afterwards that he had mishit his attempted cross, but neither the Italian nor the majority of the Stamford Bridge crowd cared.
And five minutes later Zappacosta almost had a second goal as he fired a shot inches wide of the post.
Marcos Alonso tried his own version of Zappacosta’s goal from the left side towards the end of the first half, but the Spaniard shanked his effort straight into the Qarabag supporters.
It took Chelsea just 10 minutes of the second half to effectively kill the game, as Azpilicueta netted his first-ever Champions League goal.
Cesc Fabregas will be concerned that his appearance against Qarabag could mean that he misses out on a start against his former club Arsenal, but the midfielder did not let it impact on his performance.
Having pulled the strings in the middle of the pitch, Fabregas sent over a superb ball for Azpilicueta to head into the net unmarked.
If Qarabag hoped that Chelsea would take their foot off the gas with a three-goal advantage, then they were mistaken as Conte sent on Hazard and Bakayoko.
Hazard was quickly involved, as he laid the ball off for Willian to fire a shot against the top of the crossbar and Bakayoko grabbed his first Chelsea goal with just under 20 minutes remaining.
A cross from Hazard was not dealt with by the visiting defence and Bakayoko reacted to prod the ball into the net for Chelsea’s fourth.
It got even worse for Qarabag, as Batshuayi got off the mark for the season with a goal that should lift his confidence and earned a full-time hug from Conte.
There was still time for Zappacosta to complete a memorable personal evening by turning provider. He bustled his way down the right and crossed for Batshuayi, but Qarabag defender Medvedev bundled the ball into his own net ahead of the former Marseille man.
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Mail:
Chelsea 6-0 Qarabag:
Eden Hazard returns to action as Davide Zappacosta rocket helps Antonio Conte's side to open Champions League account in style
Sterner tests await, that is certain, but Chelsea made an emphatic return to the Champions League and may have discovered a new cult hero.
Davide Zappacosta marked his home debut with an outrageous goal. In truth, it was a fluke and yet it lifted Stamford Bridge and stunned Qarabag, the minnows from Azerbaijan.
Never mind Diego Costa, still AWOL amid reports he was in Madrid inching towards a move to Atletico, all hail Zappacosta with his striking surname and apparent mastery of the cleverly-disguised cross.
His strike was the second of the night and he was still charging up the flank to create the sixth for Michy Batshuayi in the closing minutes.
Pedro Rodriguez soothed Antonio Conte's nerves with a fifth-minute opener and Cesar Azpilicueta nodded in the third, soon after the interval.
Tiemoue Bakayoko, on as a substitute, scored his first Chelsea goal with the help of a deflection and Batshuayi helped himself to a couple as the visitors from Azerbaijan wilted.
More importantly for Conte, here was a fourth successive victory since the shock defeat against Burnley. The Premier League champions are gathering momentum, a commodity he values highly.
Since transfer window closed, Chelsea are looking once again like the ruthless machine they were last year: intense and focused on whatever task is to hand, revved-up by a high-energy manager on the touchline.
Conte claimed there were risks involved in resting five players against a team with nothing to lose on their Champions League debut.
With Atletico Madrid and Roma to come, he was aware no cheap points could afford to be surrendered at this stage.
Ahead of the game he explained about the energy-sapping sequence of seven games in 21 days which culminates against Manchester City.
As it turned out, Qarabag made it easier for him. They made a bright enough start, twice getting in behind Marcos Alonso in the first two minutes before Chelsea took a grip and refused to let go.
Ibrahim Sehic, in goal for the visitors, began what was to be a busy shift with saves from Alonso and Batshuayi.
Then he was beaten for the first time by Pedro, who swept a first-time strike inside the post when Willian collected a short corner and found him on the fringes of the penalty area.
Willian forced another save from Sehic and Batshuayi was unable to convert the rebound before Zappacosta introduced himself to his new public at Stamford Bridge.
Half an hour had gone when the athletic wing-back, signed from Torino on deadline day, strode across the halfway line, shrugging off two challenges as he went.
He glanced up to check his options – Batshauyi and Pedro were up in support - and then he bamboozled Sehic with a mishit cross which swerved over the head of the goalkeeper and into the net.
The Italian admitted afterwards: 'I'm really happy. It was a dream debut, scoring at Stamford Bridge. I'm happy for myself, but mainly for the victory to get us going well in the Champions League. To be honest I wanted to cross it, but I caught it well and it ended up in the goal. The aims are to go as far as possible.
'We're working hard to get out the group and into the next round. It's an open group and they've welcomed me well. I hope it continues!
Fluke or not, the unlikely scorer wheeled away and basked in the reaction as Chelsea fans sang: 'Zappacosta, he scores when he wants'.
Victor Moses, his rival for the role on the right, was jokingly cuddled by Willy Caballero and David Luiz amid much hilarity on the subs' bench.
When the ball came Zappacosta's way again, the home crowd encouraged him to go for goal. This time he could not oblige but any trace of tension was gone.
No-one expected Qarabag to find a way back into this, including the visitors, it seemed. With a remarkable back-story, they have made impressive progress from the brink of extinction and are in Group C for the experience.
On this evidence will take a few beatings. Chelsea cruised through the second-half and Azpilicueta celebrated his first Champions League goal with a simple header.
Willian rolled a free-kick short to Cesc Fabregas who was afforded all the time he needed to find his fellow Spaniard with a clipped pass from the outside of his right boot.
Azpilicueta nodded it past Sehic from eight yards. It was the cue for Conte to start making changes and replace those who will be central to his plans against Arsenal on Sunday.
Arsene Wenger's team will play on Thursday in the Europa League in what promises to be a tougher test against Cologne. You can almost hear the excuses, already.
Willian rattled the bar with a dipping shot and Bakayoko's goal came from a cross by Eden Hazard and some heavy-legged defending in the penalty area.
Batshuayi got in on the act with his first goals of the season, both from close-range. Chelsea made the right impression as they returned to the Champions League and Conte's squad kept plenty in the tank for Arsenal.
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois 6; Azpilicueta 6 (Rudiger 74, 5), Christensen 6, Cahill 6; Zappacosta 7.5, Fabregas 7, Kante 7 (Bakayoko 63, 6), Alonso 6; Willian 7, Pedro 6.5 (Hazard 58, 6); Batshuayi 7.
GOALS: Pedro 5, Zappacosta 30, Azpilicueta 55, Bakayoko 71, Batshuayi 76, 82
BOOKING: Cahill
UNUSED SUBS: Caballero, Rudiger, Morata, Moses, Luiz
MANAGER: Antonio Conte 7.
QARABAG (4-4-1-1): Sehic 5; Medvedev 5, Huseynov 5, Sadygov 5 (Madatov 70, 5), Rzezniczak 5; Garayev 5 (Diniyev 70, 5); Henrique 6 (Elyounoussi 77), Michel 5, Almeida 5, Guerrier 5; Ndlovu 5.
UNUSED SUBS: Kanibolotskiy, Amirguliyev, Ismayilov, Yunuszada.
MANAGER: Gurban Gurbanov 5
MOM: Zappacosta
REFEREE: Tasos Sidiropoulos (GRE) 6
ATTENDANCE: 41,150
==========================
Guardian:
Pedro sets Chelsea on their way to 6-0 stroll against Qarabag
Chelsea 6 - 0 FK Karabakh
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge
This was a mismatch that probably proved very little in terms of Chelsea’s prospects in this year’s Champions League, but a stroll that felt hugely welcome in September’s cluttered and treacherous schedule. Antonio Conte had been braced to chop and change his lineup in the hope of negotiating a successful passage through seven games in 21 days. In the end, the head coach could offer breathers to those upon whom he leans most, safe in the knowledge this game had been won by the half-hour.
There will be few confrontations as gentle as this in the competition. Qarabag were debutants at this level and an Azerbaijan club who have endured 24 years in exile from their original home in Aghdam are still fiercely proud to be competing in the elite at all. But they were outclassed here from the outset. Atlético Madrid and Roma, goalless in Italy while Chelsea prospered, will provide far sterner tests in Group C, but those are concerns for another day. The Premier League champions had loathed life on the outside looking in on Europe last season, but could bask in the ease of a win on their return.
More significantly, with Alvaro Morata and David Luiz not required, and Pedro, César Azpilicueta and N’Golo Kanté withdrawn long before the end, they will still be fresh for Sunday’s visit of Arsenal.
“It was a good start, a perfect start, for us to play our first game back in the Champions League,” Conte said. “To score many goals, to finish the game with a clean sheet … I saw a lot of positive things. Now we have to continue, to rest tomorrow and then to start to think about the next game, a tough game against Arsenal.
“I wanted to give an opportunity to Michy [Batshuayi] and also to [Andreas] Christensen. If you play in the Champions League, it means the coach trusts you. My message tonight was this. I trust all my players, not only with words but with facts. It would be crazy to think we could play with only 13 players like last season, so we have to improve all these players to try and create a good competition, a positive competition, between them.”
No one let him down, with Batshuayi skimming home his goal from distance late on and, moments later, forcing Maksim Medvedev to convert into his own net from Davide Zappacosta’s low centre. Christensen, who has featured for Borussia Mönchengladbach at this level, was never flustered. Neither was this team.
Two of the home side’s number departed savouring their first Chelsea goals. Tiemoué Bakayoko’s was slammed home from close-range once Qarabag’s resistance had crumbled completely, fatigue gripping after the runaround they had endured. Michel and Badavi Huseynov had rather cramped each other’s style at Eden Hazard’s cross, the ball bouncing off the Spaniard into the France midfielder’s path. The finish was simple.
Zappacosta admitted good fortune had assisted his own reward on the half-hour. The Italian collected from Thibaut Courtois deep inside his own half, burst beyond two retreating opponents on the touchline and having glanced towards the centre to spy a team-mate, flung over a cross that ended up veering over the unsuspecting Ibrahim Sehic.
The goalkeeper had taken a step off his line in anticipation of collecting a cross, but the ball ended up flying over his dive and into the far corner. Zappacosta, a £23m arrival from Torino on transfer deadline day, celebrated with gusto in front of the Shed end, the home support rejoicing in a familiar chant in the absence of Diego Costa.
“I was really pleased with his performance,” Conte said. “He already knew very well my style and idea of football, so he was prepared to play. But it’s not easy to change your sporting life totally in one week. His answer was really good.”
Qarabag, with their sprinkling of Brazilian, Haitian, Spanish and South African attacking talent, had been overwhelmed from the outset, punctured by Pedro’s wonderfully curled finish five minutes in and defensively demoralised by the pace and invention of Chelsea’s attacks.
Willian, a figure revived after last term’s lull in form, tormented Wilde-Donald Guerrier, Cesc Fàbregas prompted from the centre, Kanté was his customary blur of energy, while both wing-backs sprinted into enemy territory with glee.
Even Azpilicueta scored a first goal in this competition, easing unchecked on to Fàbregas’s arced centre to nod beyond the exposed Sehic. “Chelsea are my favourites for the tournament,” the Azerbaijani coach, Gurban Gurbanov, said. It was impossible to judge that from this rout, but an upbeat tone has been set.
Trickier occasions than this lie ahead.
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Independent:
Chelsea return to the Champions League with a bang as they hit Qarabag for six
Chelsea 6 FK Qarabag 0: Pedro, Davide Zappacosta, Cesar Azpilicueta, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Michy Batshuayi all scored as Chelsea thrashed the champions of Azerbaijan
Miguel Delaney
Chelsea match their biggest ever win the Champions League to get on their way, but that was much because Qarabag must be one of the worst ever sides to visit Stamford Bridge in the competition. The gap was that big that this really was academic, and all about the numbers racked up. You could tell it was the Azerbaijani side’s first ever game in the competition proper, and it meant Antonio Conte could make five changes to his starting line-up and still see them rack up six goals to equal the number put past Maribor in 2014-15.
While routs like this are very difficult to read into, Davide Zappacosta enjoyed a particularly productive debut and a first goal for the club, with Tiemoue Bakayoko also getting his when he eventually got on the pitch for it to eventually finish 6-0.
This really was never in any doubt.
Conte’s decision to significantly change his team was almost immediately justified, as Chelsea so quickly went into the lead.
Even though Qarabag had actually started the game quite brightly and like they were going to bring the game to the English champions, their defence clearly couldn’t take too much pressure. They pretty much buckled the moment that Chelsea went forward.
Within three minutes, Ibrahim Sehic had to beat away a Marcos Alonso snapshot, after his backline just seemed to part in front of the goalkeeper. Within another minute more, it was 1-0, as Pedro enjoyed even more space in front of goal.
Standing unmarked at the edge of the box, the forward was free to pick his spot when Willian played the ball out to him from a short corner, and curled the ball just beyond the goalkeeper’s grasp for a supreme opener.
Chelsea were on their way and already in such control that Cesc Fabregas was trying sumptuous little flicks and backheels at 1-0.
You could have said that was a dangerous game to play until they at least had the second, but that wasn’t too long in coming, even if wasn’t quite from such an orchestrated move. There were doubts whether it was even intentional, not that Davide Zappacosta would have cared.
The new wing-back was making his first appearance for the club, and got a debut goal to add to it it, as his suspected cross from deep flew into the net on 30 minutes. Just before Zappacosta swung his leg, he did seem to be looking at - and aiming for - where Michy Batshuayi was standing, his eyes never actually on the goal, but if the delivery was wayward the run was anything but.
That was deserving of the goal itself, and should be hugely exciting for Chelsea. Zappacosta outstripped two Qarabag players on the right flank, one of his touches so exhilaratingly taking the move on and one of his markers out, before putting himself in the position to deliver.
The only frustration up to that point - at least judging by Conte’s reactions on the sideline - was that Batshuayi was putting himself into good positions but not really offering good touches, given the number of times he fumbled a move. Had he been as slick as he was on the night at West Brom last season when he scored the title-winning for Chelsea, this really could have been 5-0 by half-time.
It was all the more frustrating because Conte had seemed to rest Alvaro Morata to boost Batshuayi, and this should have been the sort of game where he added to his tally.
Chelsea did eventually add to their tally on 54 minutes, with even more creativity. Fabregas was of course central to the latter, and to the goal. Receiving the ball at the corner of the Qarabag area, he delightfully flicked forward a cross with the outside of his foot, allowing Cesar Azpilicueta to nod home for 3-0.
Moments later, to add a bit more misery to this wet evening for Qarabag, Eden Hazard was introduced for his second sub appearance since returning from injury.
Chelsea were just enjoying themselves. That Roma and Atletico Madrid drew in the other game will only have added to that, on a night that was all about just adding to the score.
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Mirror:
Chelsea 6-0 Qarabag: Antonio Conte's men run riot to get Blues off to perfect start - 5 talking points
The win leaves Chelsea top of Group C with Atletico Madrid, their opponents on September 27, held at Roma
Chelsea announced their return to the Champions League with a ruthless display to crush Qarabag.
New boy Davide Zappacosta produced the pick of the Premier League champions’ six goals, capping a 70-yard sprint with a cross-shot which embarrassed keeper Ibrahim Semic on 30 minutes.
Pedro had earlier given Chelsea a fifth-minute lead with a fine strike from the edge of the box.
Cesar Azpilicueta headed in a third ten minutes after the break.
Tiemoue Bakayoko stroked home the fourth with 19 minutes left while Michy Batshuayi weighed in with late strikes on 76 and 82 minutes.
Antonio Conte had made five changes to the side victorious at Leicester last Saturday with Eden Hazard, Alvaro Morata, David Luiz, Victor Moses and Bakayoko dropped to the bench.
The win leaves Chelsea top of Group C with Atletico Madrid, their opponents on September 27, held at Roma.
1. Strength in depth
So what was all that about Chelsea’s squad looking a bit thin? No Hazard, no Bakayoko, no Rudiger and no Morata. Yet still the Premier League champions were able to win with authority on their return to the Champions League.
Willian even hit the bar.
The naysayers will pipe up that it was only Qarabag of Azerbaijan. Yet had Chelsea lost they’d have been been having a pop at the people tasked with bringing in the reinforcements to enable the club to compete on the European and domestic stage.
As it is, this was a display to increase competition for places and to even allow Hazard and Bakayoko to enjoy late run-outs. Arsenal with their shambolic defence might be in a bit of trouble if the Blues are this sharp on Sunday.
2. Conte proves his worth
In many ways the talented Italian is a victim of his own success. Guardiola and Mourinho get top players to gel. Conte actually improves players.
He coaches them into fulfilling their potential. Last season he defied the doubters to turn a Chelsea team seemingly at the end of it’s shelf-life into title challengers.
Look at what he has done with the likes of Alonso, Moses and Luiz, all players about whom fans and pundits initially had grave reservations.
At centre-half today young Andreas Christensen also looked to have benefited from the Conte coaching masterclasses. His was a composed, intelligent performance - in stark contrast to his uncertain return from a loan spell in Germany during pre-season.
3. Batshuayi toils... but gets his reward
A tough night for a striker whose flurry of goals at the end of last season did little to impress either his critics or, more importantly, Antonio Conte of his quality.
The Italian turned away in frustration in the 19th minute when Batshuayi reacted far too slowly after Willian’s shot had been parried by Qarabag keeper Ibrahim Semic.
The Belgian’s touch was largely ponderous and lacking in confidence. Perhaps he was trying too hard. He earned a boost late on when his pressure resulted in the visitors losing their composure to allow him to fire home the fifth and sixth.
4. Alonso impressive
Ever since Chelsea’s ultimately ill-fated pursuit of Alex Sandro, Marcos Alonso appears to have stepped up another gear.
Solid defensively with that fearsome left-foot, he has been even more of an asset to the Champions than he was last season.
Early in this contest he twice looked as though he would add to the two goals he scored against Spurs last month, Qarabag keeper Ibrahim Semic saved the first, skipper Rashad Sadygov blocked the second.
In a dominant display to justify their favouritism for this contest, Alonso was among Chelsea’s best players.
5. Fabregas shows his class
Last season Conte was prepared to listen to offers for him. Fabregas didn’t want to go. On his performances since it is a good job that Chelsea have held on to him.
Granted, the 30-year-old, assist-maker supreme isn’t quite the force he was in his heyday. But he has never lost his ability to pick a pass or to pull defences apart.
Here he shone like a diamond against a Qarabag side that will soon be in the Europa League - if they are lucky.
Fabregas was involved in the first goal and picked out Cesar Azpilicueta to head the third with a peach of a ball into the box.
There is life in the old dog yet.
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Star:
Chelsea 6 Qarabag 0: Davide Zappacosta strike lights up the bridge as Blues cruise to win
CHELSEA’S return to the Champions League saw Stamford Bridge treated to a stunning goal from Davide Zappacosta.
By David Woods
How the Italian scored from 30 yards out on the right touchline only he really knows, but it was a strike to remember, however he did it.
There seemed no danger in the 30th minute as he burst down with purpose and zest, but when the £23m signing from Torino connected with the ball it flew across goal-wards.
It may have been meant as a cross, but the sheer power and late dip on the ball saw it whizz over keeper Ibrahim Sehic and flash into the net.
Boss Antonio Conte was thrilled on the touchline and so was his fellow Italian after his first goal for the Blues.
In their debut game in the Champions League group stage, Azerbaijan side Qarabag were never going to have things easy at the home of the champions of England.
And with Arsenal the visitors to Stamford Bridge in the league on Sunday, their limited threat seemed like providing a gentle reintroduction to Europe’s top club competition for Chelsea.
Marcos Alonso was on target in the fourth minute with a shot Sahic beat away.
A minute later the west Londoners went ahead. Following a short corner from Cesc Fabregas, Willian strode in from the right and, unmarked, smacked a curler from the just on the ‘D’ which Sehic could only claw into the net.
Pedro’s last appearance in the Champions League was in the 2015 final when he came on in the 89th minute of Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Juventus in Berlin, picking up his third Champions League medal following successes in 2009 and 2011.
Willian had a goal-bound effort tipped away by Sahic and when Michy Batshauyi missed the target with the follow-up Conte did not look best pleased.
Pedro Henrique was on target in the 37th minute for Qarabag after cutting onto his left foot, but Thibaut Courtois was able to gather easily.
Home fans amused themselves, by shouting “shoot!” every time Italy international Zappacosta received the ball out wide following his goal.
With record signing Alvaro Morata on the bench this clash provided a chance for Batshuayi to show his strengths, but the Belgium struggled to make an impact in the centre of Chelsea’s attack.
On a chilly night, Conte wore a coat and a blue baseball cap, but, typically, with his men 2-0 and looked in complete control, he still did not look relaxed.
He did seem a bit more chilled, though, in the 55th when Cesar Azpilicueta scored his first ever Champions League goal.
It was an all-Spanish affair, with Fabregas picking out his run with a super ball using the outside of his right boot and the defender glanced home powerfully and ran to celebrate with countryman Morata, who was warming up on the touchline.
In the 58th minute there was a big cheer when Eden Hazard continued his comeback by coming on for Pedro, having returned to action for the Blues, after an ankle problem, for 12 minutes of the 2-1 win at Leicester on Saturday.
Zappacosta had a great chance to claim his second in the 64th minute but this time screwed his shot, a half-volley, well wide. On a party night at the Bridge, no-one was too bothered.
Willian, who was buzzing all match, was unlucky soon after smashing a shot against the bar. Substitute Tiemoue Bakayoko was more fortunate, slotting in after a terrible mix-up in the Qarabag defence in the 72nd minute.
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Coutois; Azpilicueta (Rudiger 75), Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Kante (Bakayoko 63), Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Bathsuayi, Pedro (Hazard 58). Subs: Caballero, Morata, Moses, Luiz.
QARABAG (4-1-4-1): Sehic; Medvedev, Huseynv, Sadygov (Madatov 70), Rzezniczak; Garayev (Diniyev 70); Henrique (Elyounoussi 77), Michel, Almeida, Guerrier; Ndlovu. Subs: Kanibolotskiy, Amirguiliyev, Ismayilov, Yunuszada,
REFEREE: Tasos Sidiropoulos (Greece).
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Express:
Chelsea 6 - Qarabag 0: Antonio Conte's side thrash Group C minnows
ANTONIO CONTE has spent the summer insisting Chelsea are not yet ready to win the Champions League.
By TONY BANKS
He was just as pessimistic in the build-up to the new campaign this week. Maybe this result will cheer the Italian up a bit.
Chelsea had to win this opener against the Group C whipping boys, and they duly did, as Pedro, Davide Zappacosta, Cesar Azpilicueta, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Michy Batshuayi all netted on a night when Conte’s team could have had a hatful.
It was Qarabag’s first venture into the Champions League – indeed Azerbaijan’s first venture into the competition as a country.
The club from the war-torn western region of the state have seen their home base Aghdam turned into a virtual ghost town by the conflict with neighbouring Armenia. They actually play their ‘home’ games 440km away in the capital Baku, their own Imarat Stadium now reduced to rubble by the bombing and shelling.
Their fans know them as the ‘Barcelona of the Caucasus’, and a win over Copenhagen in the last qualifying round marked Gurban Gurbanov’s side down as one not to be totally underestimated. But still, it was a game that simply had to be won by Conte’s team.
Chelsea’s last outing in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge had seen them lose 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 in March 2016 – when David Luiz, now normally at the heart of their defence but last night on the bench, had a storming game to shut them out. It seems a long time ago now.
Some 366 souls made their way from Azerbaijan to London, watching their team face a strong Chelsea side. Predictably, it did not turn out to be a successful trip.
Marcos Alonso forced a save from Ibrahim Sehic early on, then the goalkeeper had to dive at Batshuayi’s feet to keep him out, but it did not take long for Chelsea to break through.
Willian fed Pedro on the edge of the area and the Spaniard crashed his drive past Sehic.
Batshuayi then hit the sidenetting when he should have scored and Sehic made a great save from debutant Zappacosta’s header, as Chelsea penned their opponents in. But the new £23million full-back had his moment on the half-hour. Bursting down the right, Zappacosta raced past two men and then cracked a glorious drive over Sehic from 35 yards.
It was almost certainly meant to be a cross that the goalkeeper horribly misjudged but Chelsea will not worry about that. Zappacosta was off the mark and straight away an instant hero with the Stamford Bridge fans.
Chelsea were attacking at will, with Willian running the show against a Qarabag defence clearly struggling to cope with the Premier League side’s pace and movement.
There was no holding back Zappacosta, as he burst down the right again and drilled a shot just wide of the far post. Chelsea had been in total control right from the off – and showed no signs of letting up against the Group C minnows.
Qarabag’s few attacks produced the odd long-range shot that Thibaut Courtois, a spectator for most of the proceedings, dealt with comfortably. A third had to arrive, though, and the inevitable happened when Cesc Fabregas chipped the ball in and Azpilicueta
stooped to nod home only his sixth Chelsea goal from six yards out.
Zappacosta tried his luck again from the edge of the area but his effort flew high and wide, after another piece of Willian trickery had once again opened up the Qarabag defence.
Another new boy, substitute Bakayoko, grabbed the fourth goal when his shot deflected in off Michel. And at last Batshuayi found his range, as he fired home the fifth, before Maksim Medvedev scored an own-goal in the closing minutes.
With much tougher tests to come in this group, it was a win that was necessary. It even, almost, had Conte smiling at times.
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Kante (Bakayoko 62), Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Pedro (Hazard 58). Booked: Cahill.
Goals: Pedro 5, Zappacosta 30, Azpilicueta 55, Bakayoko 71, Batshuayi 76,Medvedev 82 og.
QARABAG (4-1-4-1): Sehic; Medvedev, Huseynov, Sadygov, Rzezniczak; Garayev; Henrique, Michel, Almeida, Guerrier; Ndlovu.
Referee: T Sidiropoulos (Greece).
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Sun:
SIX OF THE BEST Chelsea 6 Qarabag 0: Davide Zappacosta scores stunner on full debut as Blues run riot to kick-start their Champions League campaign
Pedro, Cesar Azpilicueta, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Michy Batshuayi ensure Blues are off to winning ways
By Justin Allen & Richard Forrester
DAVIDE ZAPPACOSTA scored on his Chelsea debut – while Tiemoue Bakayoko came off the bench to open his account in an easy win at Stamford Bridge against Azerbaijan minnows Qarabag.
It was the first game back in the Champions League for the Blues after a season out of Europe and they were barely tested by the woeful visitors.
Pedro curled in a sensational opener for Chelsea as the Blues scored six for the first time under Antonio Conte
Marcos Alonso twice had chances to put Chelsea in front early on – first he had an effort parried away by keeper Ibrahum Sehic and then had a drive blocked by a defender.
But there was no denying the Blues when Willian teed up Pedro and the Spaniard fired home from the edge of the box.
Gary Cahill – back in the Chelsea line-up after his red card at Burnley last month 0 only took 14 minutes to get into the referee’s bad books again … this time booked for a poor challenge on Pedro Henrique.
Qarabag keeper Sehic then pulled off a good save from Willian’s low driven effort and Michy Batshuyi did not quite get to the loose ball in time to slot home.
Cesc Fabregas almost created a second when he dinked a delightful ball over the top of the defence and Davide Zappacosta headed against the bar. The linesman had his flag up for offside but it was only by an inch.
Then came a moment of pure fluke.
Zappacosta raced down the right flank, bypassing two Qarabag players, before smashing the ball past Sehic from 30 yards.
To the untrained eye, it looked a brilliant strike – but watching it back on TV replays he clearly went to cross and mis-hit it, sending the ball flying into the net.
Chelsea wrapped it up when Fabregas layed a lovely chip over the visitors’ defence for Cesar Azpilicueta to head home.
Eden Hazard entered the fray in the 57th minute as he continues his comeback from injury.
Eden Hazard managed to get some minutes under his belt on his return to full fitness
Willian then rattled the crossbar after the Qarabag defence dropped off and invited him to shoot.
Bakayoko added a fourth in the 71st minute after the woeful when Bakayoko punished Qarabag for failing to clear a Hazard cross
And Michy Batshuayi grabbed No5 five minutes later, having all the time in the world to fire home from 16 yards.
Moments later it was six of the best when Batshuayi's strike was bundled into the net by the Qarabag defender.
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