Chelsea captain Reece James expressed his disappointment after the Blues were held to a 2-2 draw by Qarabag in their Champions League clash.
Reece James: Chelsea Must Own Mistakes After Qarabag Draw
Despite taking an early lead, Chelsea failed to make their dominance count and left Baku with just a point.
The match started brightly for Enzo Maresca’s side when teenage sensation Estevao Willian opened the scoring with a composed finish.
However, Qarabag responded swiftly, striking twice before half-time to turn the game around and put Chelsea under pressure.
In response, Maresca made three changes at the break, including the introduction of Alejandro Garnacho, who made an instant impact by scoring the equaliser just eight minutes into the second half.
Chelsea pushed hard for a winner, with Enzo Fernandez and Facundo Buonanotte both going close, but they couldn’t find the decisive goal.
Speaking after the match, James admitted that Chelsea only had themselves to blame for not securing all three points.
“Yes, it’s disappointing,” he said after post match on Chelsea media.
“We came here to win, started strong, and got in front, but we let it slip.
The goals we conceded were poor from our point of view — we gave away a penalty and another goal through our own mistakes.”
The Chelsea skipper highlighted the team’s need to adapt better in crucial moments.
“We didn’t adjust well enough to certain situations. The goals we conceded came from our sloppy play.
It’s something we have to fix as a group moving forward,” James added.
Despite the frustrating result, James praised Estevao Willian for his performance.
“Estevao is an amazing player with a huge future. He’s still very young, and it’s on us to guide him, protect him, and help him grow. We’re delighted with how he’s performing,” he said.
Chelsea now turn their attention to their next Champions League fixture, aiming to return to winning ways after letting victory slip in Baku.
