Chelsea 6-0 Qarabag player ratings: 8/10 for midfield debutant as Blues start Champions League campaign in style

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Chelsea started their Champions League campaign in style this evening, as the Blues smashed eastern European minnows Qarabag FK 6-0 to get their campaign underway in fine fashion.

Chelsea started the match in style, with Spanish winger Pedro opened the scoring for the home side in the fifth minute, after the ball was pulled back to the edge of the areas from the right wing as the former Barca forward powered the ball into the top corner.

The home side then doubled their lead in bizarre fashion 25 minutes later, as Deadline Day signing Davide Zappacosta beat two players on the right wing before firing a cross-come-shot past the Qarabag keeper as he bagged his first goal for the west London side.

Chelsea then out the game out of sight 10 minutes after half time, after Spaniard Cesar Azpilicueta turned home Cesc Fabregas’ fabulous trivela cross to score his first Champions League goal for the club.

Antonio Conte’s side then heaped more misery on the away side, as summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko turned home a cross after the ball rebounded off Qarabag defender Michel before deflecting in.

Under-pressure frontman Michy Batshuayi then added a fifth for the home side just four minutes later, after good pressure from the Blues saw Bakayoko finding the Belgian on the edge of the box, before the striker fired into the bottom right-hand corner to score his first goal of the season.

Batshuayi then added his second and Chelsea’s sixth eight minutes before half time, after a cross from Zappacosta was fired across the goal-line, only for Batshuayi to turn the ball home to complete the rout for the home side.

It was a very convincing display for Conte’s side against a side who I’m sure will be delighted to have qualified for the group stage in the first place.

Chelsea player ratings: Courtois 6, Azpilicueta 7, Christensen 6, Cahill 6, Zappacosta 8, Fabregas 7, Kante 6, Alonso 6, Pedro 7, Batshuayi 8, Willian 6

Substitutes: Hazard 7, Bakayoko 7, Rudiger 6

Qarabag: Sehic 4, Medvedev 5, Mori 5, Amirguliev 4, Rzezniczak 5, Garayev 6, Henrique 6, Richard 5, Michel 4, Aveska 5, Ndlovu 6

Substitutes: Madatov 5, Elyounoussi 5, Diniyev 5

More Stories Cesar Azpilicueta Cesc Fabregas Davide Zappacosta Michy Batshuayi Pedro Tiemoue Bakayoko Willian