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Football Insider

Chelsea's Youth League Match in Qarabag Marred by Racist Incident: Azerbaijani Side Issues Apology

During Chelsea's trip to Qarabag, a Youth League match was overshadowed by a racist incident. Despite the abuse, the young Blues secured a 5-0 victory in Azerbaijan. Read on for more details on the match and subsequent response from both clubs and UEFA.

Chelsea's Youth League Match in Qarabag Marred by Racist Incident: Azerbaijani Side Issues Apology

Chelsea's trip to Qarabag for their midweek Champions League tie was marred by a racist incident. The abuse took place during the Youth League meeting between the two sides on Wednesday as the young Blues eased to a 5-0 win. Eyewitnesses have claimed that they saw and heard monkey gestures as Chelsea opened the scoring in the 57th minute and celebrated in close proximity to a section of fans.Chelsea's youngsters ultimately eased to a 5-0 win over their Qarabag counterparts on Wednesday afternoon, but it took until the hour mark for the west London side to find the breakthrough in Azerbaijan. Sol Gordon opened the scoring for the Blues, before a quick-fire brace from Jesse Derry saw Chelsea dominate in the final 30 minutes.Shumaira Mheuka and Frankie Runham added Chelsea's fourth and fifth late on to reflect their dominance over Qarabag. The Blues have now scored 19 goals in their opening four Youth League matches to leave them top of the league phase having won all four games so far.However, victory over Qarabag was marred by alleged racist abuse from the home support after Gordon's opener. Ukrainian referee Dmytro Kubriak stopped the match for a few minutes following complaints from the Chelsea players, and while it looked as though the match would be abandoned, the English side finished the game and put the hosts to the sword.Chelsea quickly issued a strongly worded statement following the incident, stating: "We are aware of an incident during today's Uefa Youth League match in Azerbaijan in which, after scoring, a number of our players were subjected to racist abuse from an individual in the crowd."Racism and all forms of discriminatory behaviour are completely unacceptable and have no place in football or indeed in society. We strongly condemn the actions of the individual responsible."Our players have the full support of everyone at the club, and we have raised the incident immediately with the Uefa match delegate and home club: We expect this matter to be investigated fully under Uefa's disciplinary procedures."We are proud of the way our players and staff responded to the incident on the pitch, swiftly reporting it to the referee, and commend those for dealing with the matter professionally and appropriately in line with UEFA protocols."Qarabag moved quickly to apologise for the abuse, with a club spokesperson stating: "We are sorry about this incident. It does not reflect the values of our club. We will investigate it thoroughly."UEFA, meanwhile, will wait for the referee's report before taking any action against the Azerbaijani side. Qarabag were previously reprimanded by UEFA, who banned a former club official for racist behaviour.In November 2020, UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body opted to ban Nurlan Ibrahimov, who had previously acted as the club's press officer, from exercising any football-related activity for life. Ibrahimov had allegedly made discriminating comments about Armenians, which were subsequently deleted.The Football Federation of Armenia had called for Qarabag to be expelled from European competition, while the club itself had it opened an internal investigation into the matter. UEFA also fined Qarabag €100,000 for the incident. Chelsea's men's team, meanwhile, were held to a 2-2 draw with Qarabag on Wednesday evening. Estevao had put the Blues ahead in the first half, only for Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic to respond in the 19th and 29th minute, respectively. Alejandro Garnacho levelled the Champions League clash early in the second half but the Blues were unable to add a third with the spoils shared in Azerbaijan.The result means Chelsea have lost only one of their last eight in all competitions, winning six times in that process. Enzo Maresca's side have collected seven points from their opening four European games, leaving the west London side level with Sporting and Qarabag, and one point behind rivals Tottenham, in the table.Chelsea welcome Wolves this weekend as they look to earn back-to-back league wins for the third time this season following their 1-0 win at Spurs last weekend.

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Match Recap: Chelsea's Dominance

Chelsea's youngsters triumphed over Qarabag in the Youth League with a 5-0 win. Sol Gordon, Jesse Derry (brace), Shumaira Mheuka, and Frankie Runham secured the goals. This victory marked their fourth consecutive win in the league phase, propelling them to the top of the table.

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Racist Incident Unfolds

During the match, after Gordon's opening goal, Chelsea players were reportedly subjected to racist abuse by a spectator. The referee temporarily halted the game, but it continued after players' complaints. Chelsea issued a strong condemnation of the incident and reported it to UEFA for investigation.

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Apology from Qarabag

Qarabag swiftly apologized for the incident, stating that it does not represent the club's values. They committed to a thorough investigation. UEFA awaits the referee's report before taking any disciplinary action against the Azerbaijani side.

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UEFA's Previous Actions Against Qarabag

In 2020, UEFA banned Nurlan Ibrahimov, a former Qarabag official, for life due to discriminatory comments. UEFA's Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Body imposed a €100,000 fine on Qarabag for the incident involving Ibrahimov, who made derogatory remarks about Armenians.

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Chelsea Men's Team Encounter

In the Champions League clash between Chelsea and Qarabag, the men's team drew 2-2. Despite Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho's goals, the game ended in a stalemate. Chelsea continues their unbeaten run in most competitions and holds a strong position in the European standings.

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Upcoming Fixture and Conclusion

Chelsea faces Wolves next, aiming to secure another league victory. This match follows a 1-0 win against Spurs. The events in Qarabag highlight the ongoing fight against racism in football, emphasizing the need for continuous vigilance and action.

Published on November 5, 2025