A new team named after a biblical character with input from Portugal legend Luis Figo, it is fair to say Chelsea will not face many more interesting opponents this season.
Armenian outfit FC Noah come to Stamford Bridge for Thursday’s Conference League league phase tie having made history to even be there.
Of the 50 clubs in the first qualifying round they were the only one to make the play-offs – and they went one step further by reaching the tournament proper.
They scored 18 goals in qualifying, including goalkeeper Ognjen Cancarevic registering with a long clearance against AEK Athens, and an 88th-minute winner with 10 men after blowing a 3-0 aggregate lead in their play-off.
The Yerevan side have beaten Czechs Mlada Boleslav 2-0 and lost 1-0 at Rapid Vienna in their two league games to get them dreaming of the knockout rounds.
Who are Chelsea opponents Noah FC?
They were formed as Artsakh in 2017, but changed name in 2019. During their brief existence they have also changed ownership and moved stadium – and even city – more than once.
They won the Armenian Cup in 2020 – but had never gone through a European round before this season.
And now they visit Stamford Bridge – with a team who have only been together a few months – for one of the biggest games in Armenian football history.
Despite finishing second last season, only two points behind champions FC Pyunik, ambitious businessman Vardges Vardanyan changed manager – bringing in Portuguese Rui Mota – and a mostly new squad.
In an overhaul that even Chelsea could only dream of, they signed 16 players this summer and another three in the first half of 2024. Nobody has been at the club for longer than two years.
Mota, despite only being 45 years old, has already worked in Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Belgium, Brazil, Turkey, Iran, Croatia and Georgia.
“Being in the Conference League is a spotlight for the club, to show ourselves to European football, because now everybody knows who Noah is,” he said.
“The Chelsea game is a special moment because it means playing one of the best teams in European football. It’s an honour to have this game.
“It’s a very special game for us, for Armenian football, for our fans, for our club.”
Noah want ‘presence on European football map’
Vardanyan – the founder of one of the country’s largest IT companies – took charge of the club in August 2023, and almost instantly transformed them.
“During the summer transfer window, we made a strategic decision to rebuild the team to align with our ambitious goals,” he told BBC Sport.
“Starting with only nine players on 17 June, we worked tirelessly to strengthen the squad, ensuring it was ready and competitive for the Conference League.
“This success drives us to set even higher goals, continue our development, and cement Noah’s place among the leading clubs in European football.”
He added: “Before the start of the European season, I set a goal for the team to reach the group stage of the Conference League.
“Many viewed this as an unrealistic and nearly impossible target, but as you can see, despite all the challenges and obstacles, we have made it.”
Vardanyan has loftier ambitions too.
“Ultimately, my aim is to contribute to the growth of Armenian football and build a legacy that will serve future generations,” he said.
“Today, our investments and resource allocation are unprecedented in the history of Armenian football.
“My long-term goal with Noah is to establish a competitive club with a distinctive identity and presence on the European football map.
“We aim to win every possible title and set new standards of excellence, from developing young talent to supporting the Armenian national team with top-level players from Noah.”
Davit Alaverdyan, chief editor of Mediamax Media Company in Yerevan, said: “Although the club was founded in 2017, in 2022-23 it was completely transformed with a new owner and management, so in that sense it can really be considered new.
“Such a success is truly unprecedented.”
Former Portugal, Real Madrid and Barcelona star Figo seems an unlikely name to be linked to an Armenian club side but club owner Vardanyan said: “Luis Figo was one of the first to support my vision of building this project.
“He believed in the programme’s success and offered his willingness to assist in key areas. We are friends and often discuss the club’s development, with Figo providing valuable advice.
“We have big plans with Figo, particularly in promoting Noah’s young talents abroad and enhancing the club’s international reputation.”
The club’s sudden rise and a nomadic history to date means their fanbase is still catching up. They have had several different stadiums, in capital Yerevan, plus Armavir and currently Abovyan.
Their European games are being played at the Republican Stadium in Yerevan, and they are building a new stadium in nearby city Echmiatsin.
“Until recently, the team did not have many fans, but success on the international stage has led to the number increasing with each game,” said journalist Alaverdyan.
“A stadium for 20,000 people, as well as a football academy, is being built near Yerevan.”
And the biblical name of the club?
The Old Testament says Noah’s Ark landed on Mount Ararat – which is just over the border in modern Turkey and dominates the Yerevan horizon.
Armenia was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion in the fourth century.
“A significant part of Armenia is located in the Ararat Valley, so the themes of Ararat, Noah and his Ark have sacred meaning for Armenians,” said Alaverdyan.
Captain Hovhannes Hambardzumyan is one of their longest serving players, having joined in August 2023.
“Being part of Noah’s project is something special for all of us,” said the 34-year-old Armenia right-back.
“We are not just playing football; we are playing for our nation, our pride, our homeland, and our tricolour flag, striving to elevate the name of Noah in the world of football.”