Chelsea v Qarabag player ratings
Chelsea began their Champions League campaign with a 6-0 victory over Qarabag, matching their best-ever result in the competition. Here’s how we rated the Blues players in the win at Stamford Bridge.
Thibaut Courtois: 7
Paced his penalty area in the rain, kept his back three organised – and eventually had a shot to save, although Dino Ndlovu’s effort from distance was no real problem for him.
Cesar Azpilicueta: 8
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Scored a landmark goal – his first in 46 European matches – with a neat header from Cesc Fabregas’ cross. Defensively, he was strong, particularly in the air, before being replaced by Antonio Rudiger on 74 minutes.
Andreas Christensen: 8
After 11 games in the Champions League with loan club Borussia Moenchengladbach, this was the Dane’s first in the competition for Chelsea and he acquitted himself extremely well. He showed good strength and awareness at times and rarely wasted a pass.
Gary Cahill: 7
Returned to the side after a three-match ban following his red card against Burnley on the opening day – and promptly showed he had not learned his lesson, earning a deserved yellow card for a lunge from behind in a pointless area of the pitch. The new captain still looked a tad rusty on the ground but was strong in the air – and at least lasted the full 90 minutes.
David Zappacosta: 8
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A fine performance on his home debut, albeit against limited opposition. He clearly fits the system and he created the final goal. Did the decent thing by admitting his own strike – making him the 100th Italian to score in the Champions League – was meant as a cross.
N’Golo Kante: 7
Kept things ticking over in his usual style, and also showed good drive and ambition to get forward at times. Not everything he tried came off but he will have fresh legs to go again Sunday against Arsenal having been brought off after 63 minutes.
Cesc Fabregas: 8
Always on alert to take and receive set pieces quickly – a short corner helped create the first goal and he was given too much time to pick out a cross for Azpiicueta’s goal after a foul on Willian. As ever, touched the ball more times than any other Chelsea player.
Marcos Alonso: 7
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Immediately into the action, with a saved shot and one blocked before Pedro showed him how to do it. Energetic on the left flank and always keen to win the ball back, but his crossing could have been more accurate.
Pedro: 8
In the first couple of minutes, he held on to the ball too long in his own half and twice got caught in possession – but he made up for that by scoring the opener and grew in influence, before being replaced just before the hour mark.
Willian: 7
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Busy and willing, but inconsistent. Set up Pedro for a goal and smacked the bar after one of his runs but gave the ball away too often.
Michy Batshuayi: 7
If he had come on as a substitute, people would be praising him for his impact in embellishing the final result, with one well-taken strike and forcing an own goal. But given he started, he was making up for lost time, after 75 minutes of laboured toil and poor touches.
Eden Hazard: 6
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Clearly not close to his prime fitness or sharpness but will have been pleased to get half an hour of game time, even if nothing spectacular came from it. It would be a surprise if he started against Arsenal though.
Tiemoue Bakayoko: 7
Replaced Kante on 63 minutes and eight minutes later he was celebrating his first Chelsea goal, taking advantage of some ordinary Qarabag defending. Looked a class above the tiring opposition.
